


A Battle in Darkness

by Stacysmash



Series: Shifters [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Conspiracy, Established Relationship, Evil organization, Human Iwaizumi Hajime, M/M, Modern Supernatural, Original Characters - Freeform, Violence, crazy rare pairs, definitely dark, for a lot of action and violence there's also a lot of inappropriate flirting going on, fukurodani owl shifters, hint of asamaki, hint of matsuaka, hint of ushioi, karasuno human extremists, multiple POVs, nekoma cat shifters, not too graphic, owl shifter Bokuto, sequel fic, shapeshifter AU, side konokomi, side kurodai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-30 23:08:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21436213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: For a long time, tensions have been growing between humans and shapeshifters, leading toward inevitable war and potential extinction. Iwaizumi works for an organization that claims to protect civilians from the threat of shapeshifters, but not too long ago, he discovered that they were the ones behind all the murders that had been pinned on shapeshifters. In the midst of the confusion and chaos, Iwaizumi fell in love with one of the owl shifters, their charismatic leader Bokuto Koutarou. Along with the Seijoh team, they continued working for their corrupt employers while trying to destroy the company from within. But when the organization discovers their plan, they react swiftly to cover all of their tracks throughanymeans necessary...Sequel toWind ShearandLeather and Feathers! Recommend reading them first.
Relationships: Bokuto Koutarou/Iwaizumi Hajime
Series: Shifters [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1312049
Comments: 17
Kudos: 72





	A Battle in Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read the previous two fics, I would definitely read them first. Otherwise, this might not make much sense. They're not nearly as long as this one is, lol

Iwaizumi blinked a few times and shook his head, trying to shake off the bleariness from staring at the screen for so long. It didn’t help that his team was stationed in the darkest corner of the facility, but it made sense considering they needed to be near the armory for hunting. There were a few other hunting teams, but they preferred setting traps rather than taking a more active approach. With Iwaizumi’s experience, he knew that was one of the reasons the Seijoh team was more successful than the others. 

Of course, that was before Iwaizumi started finding out the truth about their organization. It was renowned for keeping humankind safe from the threat of shapeshifter species, relied on by both the government and citizens. But after Iwaizumi met Bokuto and his owl-shifter kin, he discovered it was quite the opposite. Nearly all of the deaths and injuries blamed on the shapeshifters were staged that way to create more animosity and discrimination. 

Once he was aware, he had his team searching around the clock for any evidence they could find. Luckily, Hanamaki and Kunimi were skilled hackers, able to slip into every encrypted file without arousing any suspicion. And while they found ample evidence of the Organization’s crimes, he couldn’t figure out what the motivation was for stirring up so much trouble. The lack of a primary objective made Iwaizumi wonder if it was a personal vendetta. 

Oikawa and Hanamaki were more interested in gathering the evidence to go public as soon as possible rather than finding that motivation, but Iwaizumi felt that they’d have a better case if they could discover it. Matsukawa had no opinion either way since he was still coming to terms with the fact that the people they worked for were their true enemies. It didn’t help that Matsukawa’s boyfriend, Saitou, worked in the Investigations Department. Either Saitou was delusional and couldn’t see what was actually happening, or he was behind the conspiracy as well. 

_Speak of the devil_, Iwaizumi thought as he heard Saitou’s voice coming down the hall. He rolled his eyes and looked around the room, surprised by how empty it was at that time of day. It was just him, Oikawa, and Hanamaki working on their individual computers.

“Hey, where is everybody?”

While Hanamaki hummed absentmindedly, Oikawa glanced up from his computer, frowning behind his glasses. “Watari, Yahaba, and Mad Dog-chan are at the shooting range, per the boss’s orders. Kindaichi and Kunimi went to get us drinks and snacks.”

“Now?”

“It’s nearly dinner and we’re starving,” Hanamaki whined, finally tearing his eyes away from his screen. “And knowing you and Oikawa, we’ll be here for hours yet until we find what we’re looking for.”

“Come on, we’re getting closer to finding it. I know it.”

“I relish your confidence in us.”

“Nonsense, Makki, you’re the best! Way better than I am when it comes to investigations such as this.”

“You’re not getting out of it, Oikawa, no matter how much you flatter me.”

“Quiet down,” Iwaizumi warned, glancing at the open doorway as Saitou’s voice grew louder. Hanamaki and Oikawa wore matching grimaces, both burying their heads back into their work. Whether Saitou was innocent or just as guilty as the upper echelon of the Organization, no one thought he deserved to be with Matsukawa. It was one of those relationships where they’d been together for a long time and even if they weren’t in love, they were comfortable enough to settle for each other for the sake of familiarity. If only Matsukawa could admit that’s what it was, but it was none of Iwaizumi’s business.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Matsukawa said as he stepped into the doorway with Saitou right behind him.

“Yes, I did. I’m here late for a big meeting.”

“No, that was my first question. Then I asked why you’re dressed like that.”

Saitou frowned and looked down at his attire. Being a lead investigator for the Organization, he was typically found wearing a suit. Which was why it was strange seeing him in cargo pants, boots, and a bulletproof vest. 

“What’s wrong with my outfit? Oh, I see. You’re the only one who gets to look cool and heroic,” Saitou teased as he took a handful of Matsukawa’s shirt to pull him down for a kiss. 

Matsukawa huffed out a laugh but hardly looked convinced. He still allowed Saitou to kiss him, but Iwaizumi found that he couldn’t look away from the pair There was a strange tension radiating off them that he couldn’t quite figure out. Matsukawa was definitely uneasy about something, noticing the stiffness in his back. That, combined with Saitou’s attire, was setting alarm bells off in Iwaizumi’s brain. 

He shot a look at Oikawa and they both moved away from their stations, each of them reaching slowly for the handgun on their hip. Iwaizumi’s heart nearly stopped when Saitou locked eyes with him, even as he was kissing Matsukawa. Immediately, he shoved Matsukawa back and Iwaizumi rushed forward to catch him before he crashed hard into one of the desks. 

A blaring alarm erupted overhead, and Iwaizumi glanced back at the doorway just in time to see Saitou backing out of it with an eerily cold expression. Oikawa held up his gun and fired a couple shots, but they ricocheted off the metal lockdown door that slammed down in between them. The alarm stopped a moment later when the electricity was cut to the room, leaving everything in silence save a faint _whir_ from the power draining from the computers.

“Hideki! What the hell?!” Matsukawa cried, shoving himself free of Iwaizumi’s hold. Iwaizumi listened as his heavy footsteps echoed in the quiet room as he made his way to the door and pounded against it, but there was no answer. Matsukawa called his boyfriend’s name again, his voice breaking as he acknowledged the truth. Saitou betrayed him… all of them. 

Iwaizumi’s heart pounded, his mind spinning with the implications of it all. The Organization must have found out what they were doing, gathering evidence behind their back. But instead of interrogating them or turning them over to the authorities, they locked them in their room. Why?

“Oikawa, I have some juice left in my laptop, but I can’t get a signal. They’ve got us trapped in every way imaginable,” Hanamaki said, his voice calm and steady. At least one of them still had their head on straight.

Iwaizumi could hear Oikawa take a deep cleansing breath before answering. “This was planned, Iwa-chan. They locked us up for a reason.”

The realization sent a chill down his spine. Iwaizumi nodded his agreement, even though Oikawa couldn’t see in the darkness. “They’re going after the shapeshifters, probably the owls specifically or they wouldn’t have locked us in. We have to get out of here, stop them. We have to warn Bokuto.”

“Take it easy, Iwaizumi, I’m working on it,” Hanamaki said as he turned on a flashlight. He pointed the light at the ceiling, moving it around until it landed on an air duct in the corner. “There you are, beauty. Come on, help me move a desk under it.” 

Iwaizumi fished his phone out of his pocket and turned the light on it, Oikawa following suit. They all made their way to the corner of the room and helped Hanamaki move the desk. 

“That’s too small for us to fit,” Oikawa panted once it was in place. “Even a toddler couldn’t slip through there.”

“It’s not _us_ we need to get in there, it’s a cord.”

“A cord?”

Hanamaki sighed. “I have a receiver hooked to the end of it. If I can reach a certain point in the ducts, I may be able to reach a signal and contact help.”

“Who’s going to help us?” Iwaizumi asked, his temper rising with his frustration. “They probably have our entire team locked up in other parts of the building, and there’s no one else from the Organization we could trust.”

“Yeah, about that. I’ve made some special friends while doing my snooping.”

In the faint glow of the flashlight, Oikawa and Iwaizumi shared a look. “Makki? What friends?”

Hanamaki didn’t answer as he balanced on the desk, too preoccupied with removing the air duct plate. While he worked on feeding the cord through, Iwaizumi and Oikawa glanced back toward the door where they could hear Matsukawa’s soft crying. 

“I’ll go talk to him,” Oikawa whispered.

“Good idea. I’ll stay here and help… if I can.”

Hanamaki obviously didn’t need his assistance and there was little he could do anyway. What he needed was a moment to calm down and focus, but the more he thought about their situation, the more his anger rose. He wondered how long the Organization had been onto them for this to happen. 

“Take a breath, Iwaizumi. I’m getting there.”

Iwaizumi glared up at Hanamaki who wasn’t even looking down at him. “I’m fine.”

“You’re so furious, it feels like you’re emanating radiation. I know you’re worried, but we need to keep our heads.”

“Do you think they’ve been planning this for a while?”

“No.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because this is an act of desperation. They realized we found out the truth and were gathering evidence. Instead of being smart and feeding us false evidence, which is what I would have done, they’re freaking out and decided to hit the shifters hard before anyone can stop it. Trust me, it’s not going to work.”

“But they’ll be caught unaware.”

“They heard you coming on your stealth bike, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t think they’ll sense an armored convoy circling up the mountain?”

Iwaizumi finally released a long, calming breath. “No, you’re right. I just hope they can prepare themselves in time.”

“They will and we’ll be out of here soon.” Hanamaki licked his lips and sat down on the desk. He pulled his laptop and set it on his knees, the glow from the screen illuminating his expression of pure concentration. Iwaizumi kept silent as he worked, hearing Oikawa’s soothing tones behind him as he comforted Matsukawa. He couldn’t wait to snap Saitou’s neck next time they meet up.

“Got it!” Hanamaki announced, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He was silent for a minute, his eyebrows furrowed as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. With a gasp, he stopped typing, a grin slowly curling on his lips. “My new friends are on their way. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

“They’re coming into the facility?!”

Hanamaki scoffed. “They’ve got balls. My contact says a few of them are coming to get us, the rest will go help Bokuto and his peeps.”

“Can they be trusted?”

“I trust them more than our people.” Hanamaki shot a sharp look over in Matsukawa’s direction, his lips twisting with anger. Matsukawa was his partner in the field and his best friend. Seeing that expression on his face, Iwaizumi realized that if he did find Saitou, he should give Hanamaki dibs on snapping his neck.

Even with the good news that help was on the way, Iwaizumi couldn’t quell his impatience. While Hanamaki continued his typing, he paced furiously around the desks. “Do you think you could tap into our system and release the lockdown?”

“I can’t do it from here. It’s on a different network for obvious reasons.”

“Damn it. I can’t stand waiting around.”

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa called, his voice stern and commanding. It stopped Iwaizumi in his tracks, and he turned to face him, his form barely visible in the faint light. “We need to be using this time wisely. We need to come up with a proper plan once we’re released.”

“I got a plan. We jump in my car, head to the mountain, and beat the shit out of all the other agents we come across.”

Oikawa walked toward him, his glare evident as he stepped further into the light. “That sounds like a plan that’s going to get us killed. Which would be extremely convenient for our bosses, don't you think? Hanamaki is right, they’re acting like idiots if they think this will take care of their giant mess. It also means that we need to be smarter than them.”

“Fine! What should we do then?”

Oikawa hummed, tapping his finger to his lips. “Actually, your plan wasn’t half-bad. Just lacked finesse.”

“What?!”

“Simple. Instead of jumping into your shitty car, we need to take one of the armored trucks if they left any behind. They’ll have sensors and they come stocked with their own armory.”

“Not enough.”

“Iwa-chan, I know you want to go on a rampage, but please don’t just kill every living thing in your path.”

“Do you think they’ll give us or any of the shifters the same courtesy?”

Oikawa sighed, already exasperated. “I’m just saying to be careful and strategic. There are a lot more of them than us, but if what Makki says is true, then we’ll have back-up soon.”

“Yeah, we’ll have a ton,” Hanamaki added. “As soon as they make it out there.”

“Who are they?” Iwaizumi demanded, his tone startling Hanamaki from his unrelenting typing.

“I didn’t tell you?”

“No, you didn’t!”

“Sorry. It’s Karasuno.”

“You’ve been in contact with violent extremists?” Oikawa interjected before Iwaizumi had a chance.

“Who told you that, our bosses?”

“I… oh, that’s a good point.”

Iwaizumi sighed as he raked his fingers through his hair. “No, this is good. Bokuto trusts them as well.”

“Not only that, but they’re bringing another shifter group along with them. It should even out the odds.”

“Are you serious? Which one?”

“They didn’t say.”

“Okay, back to the plan. Once we’re out of here, we load up the rifles, pistols, extra ammo, and let’s pack some flash grenades, just in case.”

“We’ll need to synchronize our comms on a different network, so we can communicate without the other teams hearing.”

They all froze at Matsukawa’s voice and turned toward him. He had wiped away any evidence of his tears, and his expression was consumed with a furious determination.

“Are you okay?” Iwaizumi asked, and Matsukawa nodded.

“For the moment. The others are right, we need to remain focused. This whole time I’ve been so conflicted, either staying loyal to Saitou and the people we worked for or acknowledging the irrefutable evidence Hanamaki kept turning up. Ironically, Saitou helped me come to terms with it. And, as much as I would _love_ to see his scrawny neck in the sights of my rifle, the best sort of revenge is not letting them get away with it. Actually, now that I say that, we should use the expensive headsets that record our live feed as well. We can use that as evidence if we catch them in the act.”

“I’ll grab those, I know where they keep them,” Hanamaki said. He glanced up at Matsukawa, flashing him a grin before resuming his typing. “I’m glad you’ve finally seen the light about that asshole. You can do better.”

Matsukawa smirked. “Yes, I can.”

“Someone way smarter.”

“And sexier.”

“Exactly!”

Oikawa frowned at Hanamaki. “Are you suggesting he date you?”

“No, but thank you for thinking I’m that sexy,” Hanamaki laughed, giving Oikawa a quick wink. “He’s my friend and he deserves someone on his level is all I’m saying.”

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll jump into anything any time soon.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve got trust issues already. Saitou’s a special case, the ultimate dickwad.”

“We can discuss my future romance options at a later time, like after I find my current boyfriend, break up with him, turn him into the authorities as I laugh in his face, then go home and have a beer. For now, let’s work out how we’re going to do it.”

While Hanamaki continued communications with his contact at Karasuno, the other three dug out a map of the mountain. It was the same map Iwaizumi used when he planned his first hunting of the owls all those months ago. His chest clenched as his mind flooded with memories, Bokuto’s tight hold on his body, the stunning scenery spread out beneath them, Bokuto’s rumbling voice in his ear. 

“Iwa-chan, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just worried about him.”

Matsukawa squeezed his shoulder. “Well, if he’s anything like you’ve told us, it’s going to take more than an army to keep Bokuto down.” 

“Yeah, I hope so. This is the road I took,” he said, pointing at the map. “It’s documented that I took it as well, so they’ll probably take the same route. It’s the quickest and for a convoy it’s probably their only option. Do you think they’ll scale the cliffs as well?”

“If they’re looking for complete annihilation, possibly.”

Iwaizumi winced, thinking of Bokuto’s nest and how protected he felt when in it. “Us, Karasuno, the other shifter group and whatever owls we can free. Do you think it’ll be enough?”

“I don’t know,” Oikawa answered honestly. “I don’t think we have any other options.”

“Then we’ll have to make it work. Should we separate once we get there and spread out? Or do we stay together as a unit?”

“Let’s work in pairs. That way we’re not completely on our own.”

“We have incoming!” Hanamaki cheered, slapping his laptop shut and slipping it into a bag. Their heads jerked toward the door behind them as sparks erupted in the cracks, circling around all the edges. Once all the sparks went out, there was a deafening _bang_ and the whole unit fell forward, the impact of the metal on the ground echoing through the entire facility.

“Well, that was dramatic,” Matsukawa groaned as he wiggled his finger in his ear. 

Iwaizumi wafted the dust and smoke, sputtering out a few coughs. “You’re telling me. Hello?”

Several flashlights flickered on in the doorway, and out of the smoke came a figure dressed completely in black, followed by two more. A set of sleepy eyes gazed out from behind the mask but when they landed on Hanamaki, who waved back, the man laughed softly and pulled his mask up to reveal his face.

“You’re Hanamaki?”

“Yup, this is Iwaizumi over here, Bokuto’s boyfriend. That’s Oikawa, our team leader extraordinaire and Matsukawa who will be single soon.”

“He doesn’t need to know that.”

“Keep your options open, buddy.”

“Is the coast clear out there?” Iwaizumi asked, his heart pounding with the urge to get into some action. 

“Yeah, we just ran into a few guards, but we took them out easily. The whole place is on lockdown, but we’ll override it soon.”

“Why would you bother? And who are you?”

“I’m Ennoshita Chikara, part of the Karasuno group. Behind me is Kinoshita and Narita.” They both waved as they wandered to a couple desks and started removing some equipment. “As for the lockdown, we’ve never made it so far into the facility, so we’re going to take whatever data we can.”

“What about the rest our team? I have no idea where they’re at.”

“Once we’re set up and we’re in the sequences for turning everything back on, two of us will locate and release your other team members. Our sensors can tell us where they are.”

“Good, then we can get going,” Iwaizumi said as he snatched his leather jacket off his chair. Ennoshita arched an eyebrow but didn’t stop him as he swept past him. He heard the other three following, so he didn’t stop as he hopped over the door and ran into the hallway. His mind was already making a list of the weapons he wanted to grab as he went to the next door and kicked the door in.

“I don’t think it was locked, Iwa-chan.”

“I don’t care, I’m pissed beyond belief.”

“Don’t forget our plan.”

“I won’t. There you are, come to daddy.” Iwaizumi pulled down one of his favorite rifles, one that usually accompanied him on his hunts. 

Hanamaki snickered. “Is that what you said to Bokuto the other night?” 

“Nah, he usually says it to me.”

“Cute. Let’s focus, shall we? Are you sure you don’t want to release the rest of our team first?”

“No time.”

“Seriously, Oikawa. Iwaizumi finally has a chance to impress his beau, be the white knight.”

“Shut up.”

“Shutting up. Here, put this on.”

Iwaizumi paused just long enough for Hanamaki to slide a headset on him and set the frequency. Once he was finished, Hanamaki turned to Oikawa and Matsukawa took his spot in front of Iwaizumi.

“Here, put this on or you won’t make it through the night,” he said, helping Iwaizumi slip into a bulletproof vest. 

“You’re no fun. How are you so calm about everything, aren’t you pissed?”

“You have no idea. But that’s even more reason to need to play this smart. I’m not going to leave anything to chance; we _need_ to destroy the organization tonight. Who’s driving the truck?”

“I am, no arguments. I know the way better than anyone.”

Hanamaki clapped his hands, startling them. “Well, you guys ready to throw ourselves into most certain doom? I call shotgun!” 

Oikawa rolled his eyes. “You’re in the back with Mattsun. I need to keep Iwa-chan from killing us during his rampage.”

“Good idea. I’ll hide in the back.”

Stocked with all the equipment, tech, and weaponry they’d need, they left the armory just as the power flickered back on. 

“Wow, they’re quick,” Matsukawa mused.

Iwaizumi grunted. “Yeah, and we’re dragging our feet. Let’s get out of here.”

No one argued the point as he led the way to the garage. Behind him, Iwaizumi could hear one of Hanamaki’s sensors going off as he fiddled with it.

“There are still active guards in the facility. Doesn’t look like Ennoshita took care of the ones by the garage.”

“That would have been a waste of time depending on their entry point. How many, Hanamaki?” As Iwaizumi waited for an answer, he pulled out a pistol and quickly screwed on the silencer. 

“I can’t get a full readout from where we are, but there’s at least one right inside the entrance. Looks like another one is wandering between the decks. We can probably take him out on our way. I imagine there’ll be one at the exit point, as usual.”

“Alright, that’s three definite but let’s plan for more. Everybody ready?”

“Who made you the leader, Iwa-chan?”

“Oh, sorry. I am vice-captain though.”

“Right, acting captain when I’m not available. As you can see, I’m right here,” he said as he stood in front of the entrance to the garage and gestured down at his body. Iwaizumi stared at him until finally Oikawa groaned, rolling his eyes.

“Fine, let’s go. Ready?”

Iwaizumi positioned himself in front of the door, pistol held up and his finger resting on the trigger. He nodded and Oikawa shoved the door open. The guard on the other side whirled around, but his gun was still on his hip when Iwaizumi shot the man in the head. He hadn’t even hit the ground before Iwaizumi was rushing toward him, removing any weapons he could find on his body.

When Iwaizumi stood up, he saw that Oikawa was already in the guard station, a narrow booth that held most of the keys for the company’s vehicles. As he stepped out of it, he tossed the keys to Iwaizumi which he caught easily and glanced at the tag.

“Nice. Why didn’t they take this one?”

Hanamaki snickered. “I bet you anything they didn’t have enough guys certified to drive them. Probably took the bigger vehicles to hold more soldiers in the back. They seriously never look at the bigger picture.”

“Good for us, but let’s not underestimate them,” Matsukawa reminded him.

“Exactly.”

As they neared the only remaining armored trucks, Iwaizumi held the keys up and pressed the unlock button, finding their specific truck as the lights flashed with a friendly beep.

“Seriously, Iwaizumi?”

“What? It saves us time.”

“And it attracted attention. Get down!” Oikawa ordered, ducking behind a truck and aiming his rifle as a guard ran down their aisle. The guard stopped to aim his pistol, but Oikawa was faster, shooting the man twice in the chest.

“Look at these losers not even wearing vests,” Hanamaki snickered as he ran past.

“Don’t speak ill of the dead, Makki. Besides, it’s probably our employers that don’t care enough about them to give them proper gear.”

“Come on, Shittykawa!” Iwaizumi shouted as he wrenched the door open and hopped inside. He hissed when he had to take a moment to adjust the seat to reach the pedals better. He shot Oikawa a glare as he hopped into the seat next to him, warning him not to do something stupid like laugh. Oikawa ignored the look as he put his seatbelt on, although his pursed lips were beginning to quiver. 

“Hold on a minute before you turn it on.”

Iwaizumi froze before sticking the key in the ignition and looked back at Hanamaki who was settled on a bench seat, surrounded by equipment. “Why?”

“Because it’s rigged; they always are without the proper authorization. Give me one second… okay, you’re good.”

Iwaizumi shoved the key in and turned it, grinning sadistically at the roar of the engine vibrating the entire vehicle. “Seat belts.”

The pair in the back yelped as he swung the truck out and floored it toward the exit. He was terrified for Bokuto, furious at the Organization, and for the past hour had been trapped in a room, unable to help anyone. Iwaizumi was manic with pent-up energy and he laughed as the truck tipped to the side as he charged around the corner.

“Iwa-chan, it’s a fucking parking garage! Slow down!”

“No time.”

“If you don’t slow down to an appropriate speed, I swear I will turn this truck around!”

“How can you do that if _I’m _driving?”

“Just try me.”

As the front of the truck clipped an expensive luxury sedan, most likely belonging to one of the big bosses, Iwaizumi smirked and slowed down. “Okay, I feel better.”

“Good, because we have two guards at the exit,” Hanamaki yelled behind them. 

Oikawa swore under his breath as he pulled out a pistol. “Slow down more, Iwa-chan. I have to take them both out before they’ll contact anyone, thus spoiling our surprise.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

He pulled around the final corner before the exit and braked gently, allowing Oikawa to get in position. One guard stood right in the aisle, firing off a rifle at their truck as if that would do anything. The truck they chose was made to take a much heavier beating. 

Iwaizumi kept the truck steady as Oikawa leaned out the window and fired off a couple shots before he finally hit his mark. Oikawa quickly fell back inside and shook his head.

“I can’t reach the other, he’s in the guard station.”

“Then I’ll get him,” Iwaizumi said, keeping one hand on the wheel as he pulled his pistol back out. He slammed hard on the breaks right outside the narrow booth and straightened his arm out the open window. The guard shouted into a comm as he jerked his head in Iwaizumi’s direction, his eyes widening a fraction of a second before Iwaizumi fired his gun. 

With him down, Iwaizumi pulled his arm inside and prepared himself to charge the truck forward with everything it had to break through the barrier over the road. Slamming onto the gas, the tires squealed as everything lurched forward. Iwaizumi clenched his fists over the steering wheel, his eyebrows furrowed as he prepared for the impact. Oikawa clung onto the side of the truck as he braced for it as well but they both gasped as the barrier lifted just before the truck crashed through it.

Iwaizumi nearly let off the gas he was so surprised, but he managed to maintain his speed as he pulled out onto the main road. 

“Aw, I’m sorry. Were you wanting to break more shit, Iwaizumi?” Hanamaki snickered. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“I’m not disappointed,” he huffed back, wincing at his obviously petulant tone. The pair of idiots in the back snickered, irking him even more.

“You know, my employers are evil, and my boyfriend is a traitorous dick, but I’m glad to have such loyal and entertaining friends.”

“Here, here!”

Despite everything, Iwaizumi couldn’t help cracking a grin. “This is going to be a shitshow, but I feel better having you guys by my side.”

“Awww.”

“We love you too, big daddy.”

With the siren running on their truck, Iwaizumi was able to swerve easily enough through traffic. It was fortunate that at that time of night, it was lighter, and he felt like they were finally making some progress. Now was his chance to calm his mind and focus on what needed to be done. Definitely _not_ worrying about whether or not Bokuto was okay.

In the back, Hanamaki and Matsukawa spoke in hushed tones, looking at sensors and preparing their artillery. Iwaizumi frowned and sent Oikawa a quick glance before putting his eyes back on the road.

“You alright? You’re quiet.”

“Just thinking. Sure, they probably have all the teams out there, trekking through the forest, but we know that they’re fairly sloppy and we can probably take them out. Especially if Karasuno shows up to help.”

“Yeah, so what’s the problem?”

“What if Shiratorizawa shows up?”

Iwaizumi winced. Shiratorizawa was a special ops team, reserved for the most dangerous assignments. Iwaizumi liked to think their team was the best, but he wasn’t confident they could stand against Ushijima and his highly skilled men if it came down to it. Not only that, but they were infinitely smarter and more experienced than the rest of the Organization put together.

“Don’t worry, they’re out on another assignment, remember?”

“What if they only told us that? They only left town yesterday, what if they’re preparing to intercept us.”

“You scared?”

“Of Ushiwaka? No!” When Iwaizumi pursed his lips, hiding his amusement, Oikawa huffed. “I’m _not _afraid of him. Just… wary.”

“Exactly,” Matsukawa agreed, poking his head up between their seats. “Oikawa isn’t the type to get sexually frustrated over someone who frightens him.”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?!”

“Do you know that you hold your breath whenever you see him?”

“That’s only because I hate him so much.”

“Is that so? Is that why your eyes also darken with desire and you always lick your lips.”

“I--No! There’s no darkening, no licking! Iwa-chan, stop laughing!”

“Sorry, but he’s right. You also puff out your chest, which could be seen as a male dominance thing, but I see it more as you presenting your nipples to him.”

“Oh! Astute observation, Iwaizumi.”

“Mattsun, get your ass back in your seat before I shoot you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“For the last time, I am not attracted to Ushiwaka, at all. I’m simply concerned that they could complicate matters if they show up. Can you imagine walking through the woods and Tendou Satori swinging down from a tree in front of you?”

“Ugh.”

“Okay, fair point.”

“That would be terrifying.”

“So, Makki, is there any way you could give us a heads up if they show up?”

“Unlikely. Semi’s a higher level than me when it comes to tech. They’re stealthier than a pack of ghosts.”

“See, I always found ghosts to be rather belligerent.”

“Nah, you’re thinking poltergeists.”

“Ah, my mistake.”

“Normal ghosts are much wilier.”

“What you’re saying is, they could easily get the drop on us,” Oikawa interjected, holding his forehead in his palm.

“Yup, basically.”

“Then, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. When we intercept Karasuno and their shifter group, we’ll let them know to be on guard, just in case.”

“Understood,” Iwaizumi said, his heart beating faster as he pulled onto the highway that would lead them out of the city and toward the mountain. “Hopefully, they’ll be able to tell us from the bad guys.”

“According to Ennoshita, Bokuto has at least given them a thorough description of you, Iwaizumi.” Hanamaki paused to snicker. “Probably too thorough. So, they won’t kill you at least, and probably Oikawa by association.”

“To think that my life depends on whether or not they recognize Iwa-chan’s ass from an over-zealous owl’s description.”

“Hey! He’s great at describing stuff,” Iwaizumi argued, frowning as he remembered the last time Bokuto regaled a story to him with his brash voice and exaggerated movements. “There may be more sound effects used than actual words but if Karasuno is familiar with him, they should understand it just fine.”

“Yeah, we’re all gonna die.”

Despite the foreboding phrase, they all chuckled. Iwaizumi was relieved to have them there with him. No one else would have been able to ease the tension of the moment, pacify his anger and soothe his worries like they could. He was fortunate to have such loyal friends, and he hoped they would make it through the next few hours without losing their lives. He wouldn’t be able to bear the loss, especially if anything happened to Bokuto as well. 

Soon the only lights along the road were spaced out streetlamps and the headlights of the truck. The others fell silent as they prepared for their assault, checking their equipment over and over just to stave off the nerves. When Hanamaki finally cleared his throat, they all flinched from the sudden noise.

“Sorry. Just wanted you to know that Ennoshita contacted me and he’s released all our men. Together they’ve taken out all the guards and Kunimi’s helping them glean everything they can from the network. Kyoutani, Yahaba, and Kindaichi are doing sweeps of the facility to put out the rest of the guards while Watari is keeping watch with Ennoshita’s guys. Seems like they’re all getting along surprisingly well.”

“Thank goodness for that. I’m sure Mad Dog-chan was pissed to be trapped like that.”

“Yeah, but Yahaba held him back before he did something stupid. Seems like he’s getting his energy out by shooting as many people as he can.”

“Wish we could have brought him with us,” Iwaizumi sighed, mentally chiding himself for his eagerness to get out on the road. “He would have been an asset.”

“He would have been, but it would have been risky to wait. More time for a guard to alert the bosses that we’re on the way. Maybe even call in reinforcements. We can handle this Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi gulped and nodded. “Yeah. We’re getting close. Hanamaki, do you see anything?”

“Well, yes. The sensors are starting to pick up the mountain…”

“And? See anything on it?”

“Yup. Several masses of red, impossible to distinguish which ones are shifter or human. The closer we get, though, the more detailed it will be as far as accurate numbers.”

“Okay, here we go.” Iwaizumi followed the familiar road up the mountain, finding the feat more difficult than he did on his bike. As eager as he was to get up it, he slowed down and focused as the road curved through patches of woods and around sharp cliffs. He wasn’t even fighting anyone and already sweat was beading across his forehead. “How the hell did they get those monstrosities up here?”

“Uh, I don’t think they were completely successful.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, ahead,” Hanamaki said, pointing out the front windshield. 

The road curved again and as the truck’s lights careened around it, they landed on a guardrail completely bent up from the road.

“Shit, you think they went over?”

“Yup. At least that took out some idiots. Whether or not they survived?”

“Stay focused, Iwa-chan. I don’t want to join them.”

Iwaizumi frowned at his wavering voice. “You alright?”

“Ugh, just a little carsick.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry if I’m not used to racing around curvy mountain roads just for a booty call.”

“For the last time, he’s more than that. Shut up, I need to concentrate.”

“You asked!”

“Hey!” Hanamaki shouted, startling them both. “Quiet down, I have something showing up on the sensors.”

Iwaizumi frowned as he looked around at the trees lining the road. “I think we’re getting close to the first pull-off. Did they stop this far down?”

“No, just one squad is positioned here, from the looks of it.”

“Iwa-chan, slow down and turn off your lights.”

“What?”

“We don’t want them to realize we’re here.”

“He’s right,” Hanamaki agreed. “Stop here and turn your headsets on. Otherwise, we might not get the chance if we have to jump right into it.”

Iwaizumi parked the truck but left it running as he slipped the set over his head and focused the camera on it for the live feed. He frowned, hearing something shrill outside the car and rolled the window down a bit. His skin turned to ice as the unmistakable shriek of one of the owls echoed further up the road. 

_They already have one of them._

“We need to hurry.”

“Focus, Iwa-chan. Remember the plan.”

“Right,” he said, shoving the truck out of park and easing on the gas. “As soon as we’re stopped, we take out the baddies nearby and split off into pairs.”

He could feel Oikawa’s concerned gaze as he eased the truck carefully around the corner. He could always tell when Iwaizumi was one second from going on a rampage. With the way his muscles were quivering, he knew he was nearing the point of no return, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to quell it. The owl’s cries grew louder and more desperate and Iwaizumi could taste the desire to do some major damage. 

Once fully around the corner, he stopped, leaning forward to peer out the front windshield. There wasn’t a full moon that night, but there weren’t any clouds to cover it in its three-quarter state, allowing it to illuminate the scene in front of them. Iwaizumi wasn’t sure which of the owl shifters was captured, but he could see it partially changed as its wings beat hard to make its escape. Unfortunately, it was already chained and was harshly yanked down by several soldiers, attempting to drag it into the back of the van. 

“Iwa-chan?”

His breaths were ragged as he tried to find his voice. “Yeah?”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t. Better tighten your seat belts.”

“I regret letting you drive.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Matsukawa asked as he leaned around the seat.

“Buckle up, idiot. Iwa-chan’s going crazy.”

“Shit.”

Iwaizumi waited a moment for the others to strap themselves in tight before revving the engine. The sound wasn’t enough to capture the attention of the soldiers, all their focus on getting the owl into captivity. Iwaizumi released the break and the truck lunged forward with all the speed it could muster. He flashed his lights back on as a courtesy before mowing the entire squad down and, sure enough, he saw them scatter into the woods as they released the owl’s chain. 

It lunged up at the last second, getting out of the way as their vehicle plunged into the back of the open van. The hard impact jarred Iwaizumi’s vision, taking a minute to clear as he shook his head. Ignoring the screams and shouts, he leaned his head out to check his position and found that he had shoved the van in front of them closer to the edge of the cliff. 

“Hold on!” he shouted, giving the truck another shove as he slammed down on the gas.

Bullets pelted the truck from all sides, but Oikawa chose well when he grabbed the keys back at the garage; the armor plating held up easily against the gunfire. Despite that, Oikawa swore under his breath as he rolled down the window and started shooting back. The whole truck groaned from the exertion of pushing the other one, but Iwaizumi laughed triumphantly as he felt it topple over the edge.

“One more shove and gravity can handle the rest.”

“Good. Make sure we don’t go over as well,” Matsukawa warned, his voice betraying his nerves.

“I won’t. Carefully now…”

The second he felt the truck jerk forward, Iwaizumi slammed on the brakes. He could barely hear the crash of metal against the cliffside over the rampant gunfire. Throwing the truck into reverse, he checked his mirrors carefully before pressing on the gas again. The gunfire stopped abruptly, but Iwaizumi knew he nailed at least one of them as something crunched under the tires.

“Oops.”

“Gross. Everybody out!” Oikawa ordered, slipping his rifle strap over his head and kicking his door open. Iwaizumi burst out the other side, his pulse raging inside him as he readied his rifle. He slammed his back against the side of the truck and eased around it, unloading a couple of shots before the back doors of the truck opened in front of him. 

Charging around it, Iwaizumi continued firing at the soldiers spread out in front of them, allowing Hanamaki to jump out beside him while Matsukawa used the other door as cover. Iwaizumi growled, trying to aim as best he could in the darkness while their enemy had the benefit of the woods as cover.

“There’s a guy hiding behind that rock!” he yelled to Hanamaki, neither pausing in their firing. “Another one behind the tree next to him. I’m going to try to circle around and— holy shit!” Iwaizumi yelled as a huge shadow swooped down and snatched the man from behind the rock. The man screamed as the shadow swept back into the air and over Iwaizumi’s head, not stopping until it was past the edge of the cliff. Iwaizumi didn’t stop to glance back, but he grinned as he heard the man’s screams fade into the distance.

The guy hiding behind the tree peered around to see what happened, perfect timing for Iwaizumi to shoot him in the face. “Gotcha.”

“Three more left and I have just the thing. Everybody shut your eyes!” Hanamaki warned as he pulled a flash grenade from his belt and popped the trigger. Iwaizumi kept shooting as he squeezed his eyes shut. Even then, he could see the burst of light beyond his eyelids and the subsequent shouts of alarm.

“Now!” Hanamaki signaled, and Iwaizumi took off as soon as his eyes were open. One guy was kneeling on the road as he blinked his eyes. Down. Oikawa skidded to a stop just on the edge of the tree line and fired twice. Iwaizumi heard a body drop with a _thud_. Just one more. The third one was deeper in, out of sight, and as Matsukawa pushed through the brush, Iwaizumi could hear them fighting hand-to-hand. 

Iwaizumi and Oikawa waited impatiently with their guns held at the ready. The man was easily heard, his heavy pants indicating his exhaustion. Matsukawa fought silently and after a few hits were heard, Iwaizumi heard the sound of a fist shattering someone’s jaw. He winced, hoping Matsukawa didn’t break anything in his hand.

“Ugh, this guy needs to lose some weight,” Matsukawa groaned as he pulled the body out of the woods.

“Your hand okay?”

“Yeah, he’s soft all over. Didn’t get the chance to shoot him though, so he could wake up at any time.”

“I’ll take care of him.”

They turned around at the strange voice, hardly recognizable even to Iwaizumi. The shadow stepped closer as it changed shape, the bulk of feathers receding until it became almost human. Except for the wings of course. 

“Konoha!” Iwaizumi cried, holstering his pistol and coming forward to check on his friend. Konoha managed a weak smile in return, but his face and body were bruised badly and what clothes he was still wearing were torn almost to shreds.

“I’m fine, but I don’t know about the others.”

“We’ll find them. It’s just the four of us for now, but Karasuno and another shifter group are on their way. Just hang back here and wait for them.”

“Pfft, like hell I’m doing that.”

“But—”

“I’m not injured at all and there’s no way I could sit still with how much rage I have now. Listen, in this part of the woods is a small squad. I’ll rip them to shreds while you four move on ahead. Trust me, there’s plenty enough for all of us.”

Iwaizumi huffed out a laugh. “Fine, just be careful.”

“You too. Oh, and Iwaizumi?”

“Yeah?”

“If you see Komi, remind him that…” Konoha faltered, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked away. Iwaizumi’s chest clenched at the sight, knowing exactly how Konoha felt. Still, he waited a moment to allow him to find the words. “Remind him that, even if I was captured first, I’ll still kill more of them than he will. He’s not going to beat me this time.”

Ignoring Iwaizumi’s gaping mouth, Konoha smiled at slapped him on the arm as he passed by him, blending quickly amongst the shadows of the trees. 

“Wow, these owls are pretty Spartan, huh?” Matsukawa asked.

Iwaizumi nodded. “Yeah, they are but they still need our help. We’ll travel together until the road splits, then we pair off. No useless chatter, understand?”

With mumbled agreements, Iwaizumi led the way into the forest, the entire layout of it permanently etched into his brain. He was thankful the headsets Hanamaki grabbed had a red spotlight on them, bright enough to light their path but wouldn’t blind them either. Distant screams sent shivers down his spine and for once in his life, he hoped they were human. 

After ten minutes of trekking through the forest and not finding anyone, Iwaizumi was getting anxious. True, it was a big mountain with various sections of forests, cliffs, and streams, but he found it strange that the troops wouldn’t be more spread out. A worry was beginning to gnaw at the back of his mind, one he didn’t want to acknowledge that it could be a possibility. 

For a company such as theirs, hierarchy is everything. Take out the leader and everything else falls apart, the lesser soldiers scatter. Iwaizumi knew that the owl shifters could easily survive without Bokuto as their leader, each one of them clever and skilled in their own way. But their Organization didn’t know that. It would be just like them to stupidly make Bokuto their main target, not worrying so much about the other owls. It was just the sort of mistake they’d be likely to make that would inevitably be the Organization’s doom, but it could also be Bokuto’s. 

Iwaizumi shook his head, ignoring the way his stomach gripped painfully. He needed to focus and trust that Bokuto could take care of himself. All he knew was that if they both made it out of this disaster alive, he was going to smother that beefcake with all the love he could handle.

“Here we are,” he whispered when they reached a split in the nearly indecipherable path. They turned to face each other, their expressions etched with worry. After a few moments of awkward silence, Oikawa sighed and lifted his fist to the center, his chin raised with confidence. Hanamaki grinned and reached forward, bumping his fist against Oikawa’s. The other two joined in and with a nod, they all turned away.

Matsukawa took the path on the left and Iwaizumi led the way on the right, each with their partner in crime at their heels. They had determined their directions ahead of time, Iwaizumi heading in the direction of Bokuto’s nest while Matsukawa went toward the main communal area for the owls. His only comfort was that, despite his employers being a bunch of back-stabbing liars, he had complete trust in his team. He just hoped they could all make it through the night.

—-

Matsukawa frowned and paused mid-step, swiveling his head around. He could hear fighting somewhere close by, but it was difficult figuring out which direction it was coming from. Turning toward Hanamaki, he could see that he was having the same problem as he pulled out a handheld sensor. 

“Why are you just now bringing that out?”

“Because it’s more fun to guess.”

“Seriously?” 

“No, because the idiots who used it last didn’t charge it well enough. We need to use it sparingly. Okay, so it looks like it’s a small squad and they’re split up. From what it sounds like, at least one of these dots should be a shifter while the rest are soldiers. What do you think?”

“We could split up and hit them at the same time or go to one and take them out together and then go after the other one.”

Matsukawa flinched as he heard a cry of pain coming from his right. It was difficult to tell but his gut instinct was that it came from one of the shifters. To the left, a stream of gunfire erupted with more shouts.

Hanamaki sighed and shut the sensor down, slipping it into his pocket. “I hate to say this, but we might not have time to hit them both together.”

“Agreed. I take right, you take left?”

“Yup, and we meet here when we’re done.”

“Right, by the… tree with the branches. Good plan.”

“Smart ass.”

There was another scream to the right, shrill and unmistakable that it was coming from a shifter. Together they lightly punched each other’s shoulder and took off in their own direction. If they had more time to plan beforehand, they probably wouldn’t have resorted to something so stupid, but it couldn’t be helped. 

Matsukawa didn’t need the sensor to know where to go. There didn’t seem to be any scuffling going on in the clearing ahead, but he could hear someone moaning in pain and the consistent creak of a tree branch. He wasn’t sure what to expect as he crept closer, fiddling with his rifle to get it ready. With any luck, he could put the soldier down quickly without having to fight at all.

He stepped carefully around a thick tree, making sure he didn’t do something stupid like step on a twig. Easing around it, he pressed his rifle into his shoulder and held it steady, his eye already looking through his sight. He shifted the rifle in the direction of the noises and his breath hitched when a bloody hand came into view. 

Dropping his rifle to view the whole scene, Matsukawa gazed in horror at the owl shifter strung up to a tree, the rope cutting into his wrists. He seemed like an ordinary human except for his wings spread out behind him, cushioning his back against the tree trunk. The only clothes he wore were a pair of tattered pants, allowing Matsukawa to see the blossoming bruises scattered over his body.

The shifter raised his head, blood dripping from his curly black hair. His chest heaved and from the way he winced with every breath, Matsukawa wondered if his ribs were broken. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, the treatment of the owl going far beyond what the soldiers were probably instructed to do so. As the soldier stood up from tying the shifter’s feet together, Matsukawa felt like vomiting.

_Hideki…_

It made him sick that the man he thought of as his boyfriend only a few short hours ago was sneering in the shifter’s face as he held a large knife against his chest.

“Feeling comfortable yet?” he said, grazing the blade across pale skin. 

“Why are you doing this?” the shifter asked in a trembling voice. 

“Because I’m curious about you, how much a beast such as yourself can handle. Are you stronger than a human? More resilient? With the way you’re whimpering, you seem weaker than I expected. So disappointing.”

“I’ve done nothing to you.”

“Wrong!” he shouted, stabbing the knife into the tree trunk next to the shifter’s face. “Your kind must have strange abilities, convincing our own to turn against us. You took him from me and now you deserve to pay for it.”

Matsukawa had an easy shot from the edge of the clearing, but he could no longer think straight. His rage was boiling inside him and simply shooting Hideki would do nothing to subdue it. While his charming boyfriend continued on his tirade, Matsukawa crept up behind him. He could see the recognition in the shifter’s eyes but whoever he was, he was smart enough to keep his gaze on Hideki. 

Channeling all his anger into the strength of his arms, Matsukawa hurled the butt of his rifle into the side of Hideki’s face, knocking him to the ground. Before he did anything else, Matsukawa pulled the blade from the tree trunk and cut the ropes holding the shifter up. The shifter sighed with relief, nearly collapsing into his arms as Matsukawa set him gently on the ground. 

“Here, cut through the rest while I handle him.”

“Who are you?” the shifter asked as he rubbed his wrists.

Matsukawa glanced up and froze, transfixed by the loveliest pair of green eyes he’d ever seen. “Huh?”

The shifter’s eyebrows raised in amusement. “I asked who you are.”

“Oh, Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi’s friend.”

It warmed his heart seeing the relief flood the shifter’s expression. “Thank goodness. I’m Akaashi Keiji, and I think that man is still alive.”

“For now. I’m so sorry about this.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Most of it isn’t, but this particular asshole,” he said, standing up and kicking Hideki onto his back, “is mine.”

Hideki groaned, blinking as he came back to consciousness. His eyes widened when he saw Matsukawa standing over him and immediately reached for his gun. Matsukawa stomped hard on his hand and Hideki cried out in pain.

“How the hell did you escape, Issei?”

Matsukawa raised his rifle back up, pointing it straight at Hideki’s chest where it wasn’t covered by a bulletproof vest. “Oh, you know what a likeable guy I am. I’ve got friends you don’t even know about.”

“Clearly,” he seethed, eyeing the shifter. “I can’t believe you’d side with those freaks.”

“From where I’m standing, he’s not the freak. I never could have imagined you’d have it in you to torture another living being.”

“And I never thought you would betray us… betray me!”

Matsukawa scoffed. “You’ve known all along that our organization was the one killing all those people and pinning it on shifters, haven’t you? You couldn’t be that shitty of an investigator if you couldn’t figure that out.”

“Who the hell cares, Issei? They were spreading out, coming into our territories and threatening our way of life. It was up to us to everyone else protected.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? You have no evidence that they’ve ever hurt anyone. You know what, there’s no point arguing when you’re that delusional.”

“What are you going to do? Kill me?”

“No. First, I’m breaking up with you. Second,” Matsukawa paused to flip his rifle around and ram it against Hideki’s head. This time he was knocked out cold, but Matsukawa wasn’t about to take a chance as he knelt beside him and removed all the weapons from his body. When he was finished, he shoved Hideki onto his stomach and bound his hands behind his back. 

He felt no remorse from hurting him, or any sense of loss for breaking up with him. The long trip to the mountain had given him a lot of time to think about their lackluster relationship and Hideki’s betrayal. Watching him torture an innocent person for the sake of revenge was the final nail in the coffin. If anything, he felt free.

“He was your boyfriend?” Akaashi asked softly. Matsukawa was thankful there was no accusation in his tone although he felt like he didn’t deserve it.

He turned his back on Hideki to find Akaashi completely released from his bindings and wiping some dried blood from his skin. 

“He was but not anymore. I am so sorry this happened to you.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“But he—”

“Was a deranged lunatic. You’re not responsible for how he reacted to the situation.” Akaashi reached out and grasped Matsukawa’s arm. “Thank you, Matsukawa-san, for saving my life.”

Matsukawa decided that his emotions were probably so raw that he was losing control when he felt his cheeks grow embarrassingly hot. He cleared his throat and waved him off.

“It’s no problem. I’m just glad I made it in time. Do you think you can stand?”

“Even if I can’t stand, I should still be able to fly.”

“Here, I’ll help.”

Matsukawa slipped his arm around his waist as Akaashi held onto his shoulders. It didn’t matter that he was bloody and bruised, he was still the most ethereally stunning creature Matsukawa had ever seen. He tried hard to focus on anything else as he helped him to his feet, cringing when Akaashi grimaced.

“I’m okay. I don’t think anything’s broken, just… sore.”

“Come on, let’s head towards the road. Konoha’s around that area killing as many fools as he can.”

Akaashi laughed softly as he clung to him and Matsukawa hoped to God that his face wasn’t as red as it felt. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m relieved that he is okay.”

“I take it you and he aren’t…”

Akaashi gazed up at him, amusement breaking through his expression of pain. “No, we’re just friends. I don’t have a mate yet.”

Matsukawa cleared his throat and ignored his internal cheering. What the fuck was wrong with him? 

“That’s surprising.”

“Really? Why is that?”

“Uh, you know, because… well, I don’t know about owl shifters or anyone you may know personally, but by human standards, at least my standards, I’d say that you’re, uh…”

“Matsukawa-san, you’re stalling.”

“Am I? What I’m trying to say is that I don’t find you unappealing and I can’t imagine anyone else thinking so either.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you.”

“Although, who would trust my standards considering the person I just broke up with?”

They were quiet for a while, carefully picking their way through the trees and brush. Any sounds Matsukawa heard were far off in the distance and he was starting to worry about what sort of trouble Hanamaki had gotten into.

“I’m sorry.”

Matsukawa frowned and craned his head around to see Akaashi’s contemplative expression. “Why are you sorry?”

“I just can’t imagine what you’re going through right now, finding out your boyfriend was like that and then having to... You seem like such a kind person, I’m certain that you didn’t have any idea.”

“No, I didn’t. But you shouldn’t be pitying me. You’re the one he strung up on a tree and beat nearly to death.”

“It wasn’t that bad. I was playing it up a little to catch him off-guard. Then, when he wasn’t paying attention, I was going to partially shift until my beak emerged and tear out his throat. Besides, whatever way I’m hurting now is just physical and it will heal easily. The pain of betrayal is much deeper and harder to heal.”

“Well, we have been drifting apart for a while. And not only that but— wait, did you hear that?”

Akaashi’s body stiffened and he slowly straightened away from Matsukawa’s side. “Yes,” he whispered back. 

Matsukawa’s mouth fell open as Akaashi’s eyes seemed to glow in the darkness and sharp talons emerged from his fingers. His wings spread out from his back and fluttered with readiness. Matsukawa knew he needed to turn his gaze to the trees surrounding them, but he was enthralled with the beastly features taking over Akaashi’s body. Strangely enough, it did nothing to dampen his stunning beauty.

A leaf crunched just beyond the trees and Matsukawa spun on his heel, lifting his rifle toward the noise. With a surprised soldier in his focus, he pulled the trigger without hesitation and the man cried out in pain as he buckled forward. Matsukawa didn’t wait for his body to drop as he crouched down and made for cover. 

There was a rush of wind against his back and he could tell that Akaashi was already in the air. His instinct to protect him was raging but he needed to keep focused. Besides, he had a feeling that, even injured, Akaashi could take care of himself. 

He kept still for a moment, focusing on every sound of the forest. It would have been helpful to have Hanamaki’s sensor, or even Hanamaki himself, but he had been trained well for the situation. His body stiffened as a dark shadow crossed the path in front of him, heavy breaths accompanying every step. It was almost embarrassing how sloppy the soldier was and Matsukawa didn’t feel guilty at all as he shot the man in the head. 

A twig snapped behind him and Matsukawa turned in that direction. His vision was adjusted to the dark well enough that he recognized the barrel of a gun pointed straight at his head and he knew there was no way he could move fast enough to get away or disarm them. He was finished. 

The man screamed as he was grabbed from overhead, his whole body gone from sight so quickly that Matsukawa wondered if he had imagined him. He glanced up in the tree branches overhead and grimaced as the man’s gurgling screams ended with a _snap_. And then there was silence.

Matsukawa arched an eyebrow and gulped. “Akaashi?”

The branch above him creaked but he still couldn’t see or hear any sign of his shifter companion. Goosebumps fluttered over his skin, his instincts sensing Akaashi’s approach before he could see it. He couldn’t hold back his surprised yell as a body collided with his back and two strong arms latched across his chest. His feet left the ground in an instant and what shapes he could make out in the darkness blurred around him.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you, Matsukawa-san,” Akaashi’s voice murmured in his ear, sounding a little amused.

“Yes, good, and you can put me down!”

“Why? Are you scared?”

“Just nervous, never flown before. Well, not like this. Oh shit,” he hissed as they plunged through the canopy of the forest and the entire expanse of starlit sky spread out over them. 

Akaashi chuckled. “You’ll get used to it quickly. If I keep you steady, do you think you can shoot?”

“I— Oh. I didn’t think about that. I could try, but I’m too heavy for you.”

Matsukawa shivered as Akaashi’s warm breath huffed against his ear. “I’m a lot stronger than I look. Ready?”

Matsukawa gulped and adjusted his rifle in his sweaty hands. “Sure,” he answered in an embarrassingly high-pitched tone.

“Good. Let’s go hunting.”

—-

“Shit, shit, shit,” Hanamaki chanted with every footfall as he sped through the forest. He was pissed at himself for suggesting they split up, thinking each of the squads he spotted on his sensor had an owl shifter captive. There was no way of knowing what Matsukawa had come across, but he happened upon three soldiers still on the hunt with no owls in sight. 

Not wanting to allow the soldiers free reign of the forest, Hanamaki decided to toss a flash grenade at them to put them at a disadvantage. It worked for a moment as he shot one soldier, but another one released a spray of bullets into the whole forest surrounding them before the idiot could even see. Hanamaki was lucky he ducked in time to avoid being hit, but the odds were no longer in his favor. 

As he darted through the forest, he had completely lost his way. The only hint of direction he had was whether the ground was sloping down or up and even that changed every few feet it seemed. And while many of the teams that worked for their organization were lax in their physical upkeep, the two guys pursuing him seemed to have ample athletic ability. He could practically feel their breath on the back of his neck. 

His instincts were accurate as a hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. Hanamaki reached behind him, hands gripping onto a Kevlar vest and allowed the momentum to assist him in yanking his assailant off to the side. As the man swerved, he was able to keep his footing, but just barely. With the man’s body hunched forward, Hanamaki pulled his arm back and shoved his fist forward, landing it straight into the man’s jaw. 

“Get down on the ground, now!” his other assailant ordered and Hanamaki heard the unmistakable sound of a gun cocking. 

He winced and slowly raised his hands up, hoping the guy wasn’t trigger happy. Cautiously, he dropped to his knees as he kept an eye on the man he punched. While he was still conscious, he remained flat on his back as he held his jaw, groaning pathetically.

“How many of you are there?!”

“What, you have no idea?”

“Shut up, smart ass, and answer the question.”

“How can I shut up and answer your question at the same time? Would you mind clarifying, please?”

“How about we skip the questions and I just put a bullet in your brain?” the man snapped back as Hanamaki felt the cold, round metal push against his skull. “Now, for the last time, how many of you are th—” 

The whisper of a silenced pistol cut the man off, and Hanamaki blinked as the gun fell away from his head. The man’s body fell in a heap next to him, his eyes open and unfocused. A shiver ran up Hanamaki’s back and he turned his head slowly the other direction. 

A tall figure stood between two trees, barely visible in the tree-filtered moonlight. He lowered his pistol and walked toward Hanamaki as more human-shaped shadows came into view behind him. Hanamaki’s pulse was pounding furiously and he wondered if hearts could literally force their way through someone’s chest. It didn’t help when the man stood above him and a sliver of light fell across his face, his long hair tied up in a messy bun and his face hardened with terrifying ferocity. Hanamaki yelped as the man knelt in front of him and touched his shoulder. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, a reassuring smile spreading on his lips. 

Hanamaki blinked, confused by the man’s gentleness juxtaposed with his intimidating aura. “Are you guys Karasuno?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Then yeah, I’m okay,” Hanamaki sighed and finally lowered his hands. “My name’s Hanamaki Takahiro, the one Ennoshita’s been in contact with.”

The man’s big round eyes flickered with recognition. “Of course, I’m glad we were able to find you. Here, let me help you up.”

The man hoisted Hanamaki up on his feet with ease, which was impressive considering Hanamaki was no lightweight. Once standing, he saw that he was about even to the man in height, but his broad shoulders and rugged looks made him appear much larger. Hanamaki opened his mouth to ask the man his name when a tiger brushed past him with a menacing growl.

“Ah, holy shit!” he screeched, lunging forward into the man’s embrace. 

“It’s okay, he’s with us,” he soothed as he patted Hanamaki’s back, his lips twisting to hold back a smile. “My name is Azumane Asahi, by the way. We have a large team to help and the Nekoma shifters are here to assist. Obviously, they’re all cat breeds.”

“Big ones,” Hanamaki muttered, eyeing a set of glowing green eyes watching him from the bushes. It pushed through the leaves and if Hanamaki’s bladder had been full, the sight of a giant lion stalking toward him would have emptied it completely despite being in public.

“He won’t hurt you. As I said, he’s on our side. Now, what can you tell us?”

“Oh! Um, it’s me, Matsukawa, Iwaizumi, and Oikawa. We split up into pairs, but I got separated from Matsukawa. I know one owl, Konoha I think his name was, is safe and free but I don’t know about the others. The guys roaming in the forest in camouflage are the douchebags you can take out.”

Azumane chuckled and raised a finger to his ear. “Daichi, you there? I’ve located Ennoshita’s contact and they have three more in their party somewhere in the forest. Hostiles are wearing camouflage and are using live ammo.” He paused with a frown and Hanamaki guessed he was listening to instructions. It was surprising since he assumed Azumane was the one in charge of Karasuno.

He gasped when a realization smacked into him like a brick wall. Feeling like a complete idiot, he stepped away from Azumane and clicked his own headset.

“Matsukawa, are you there?” He waited for a minute, his nerves increasing the longer the silence stretched. “Matsukawa, damn it, answer me.”

Static tickled into his earpiece but the voice that came through was definitely not his partner’s.

“Language, Makki!”

Hanamaki groaned. “Are you guys okay?”

“Uh, we’re alive!” he shouted above the sound of gunfire. “We found a big group holding a couple shifters in cages, we’re just trying to set them free!”

“Good, Karasuno is here with Nekoma, cat shifters. Where’s your location?”

Hanamaki listened closely as Oikawa gave intermittent directions sandwiched with hisses and swears. In the background, he could hear a _bang_ followed by Iwaizumi’s malicious laughter.

“Got you fuckers!”

“I think that’s good enough, we’ll head in your direction.”

“Wait, where’s Mattsun?”

“We got separated and he’s not answering on the comms.”

Oikawa sighed. “Hopefully, he just got held up. Get your asses over here, Makki. We need back up.”

“Yes, Sir.”

He released a long breath to calm down as he ran his fingers through his hair. It wasn’t like Matsukawa to not check in and he was starting to worry that something happened to him.

“Everything okay?” Azumane asked as he joined him. 

Hanamaki met his gaze, surprisingly comforted by his presence. It seemed strange to think just a couple of minutes ago he seemed terrifying. Apart from the weapons and the muscles protruding underneath his tight black clothing, Azumane gave off the aura of a big cuddly teddy bear. Hanamaki loved teddy bears.

“I’m just worried about my partner. He’s not answering his comm.”

Azumane hummed with a nod. “We’ll keep our eyes open for him. We should get moving.”

“Yeah, my captain gave me their location. We should head there since that’s where most of the soldiers are massing.”

“Agreed.” 

Azumane raised his hand and did several signals in succession. The men surrounding them immediately crouched and began moving in one direction, not one of them stepping on a twig of leaf. Each one had at least one feline companion and regardless of their various sizes, Hanamaki was certain that all of them were extremely dangerous. He stiffened as one slender cat with fur as glossy as ink strode up to Azumane, bumping its head against his leg.

With a smile, Azumane reached down and touched its head. “Yup, I’m ready Kai. Let’s go.”

He gestured toward Hanamaki for him to follow and made his way into the trees with Kai padding beside him. Hanamaki felt relieved to have other people watching his back once again, comforted having the odds evened out. He flat-out ignored a little flutter of jealousy as he watched the fluid movements of Azumane and Kai. 

There was obviously history there, experience aiding in their constant awareness of each other. It made him miss his own partner in crime, lost somewhere in the forest without anyone watching his back. On the other hand, walking behind Azumane and getting a full view of his ass in those tight black pants was an experience he would never forget.

—-

Iwaizumi hunched down behind a boulder as a flurry of bullets ricocheted off it. His hand trembled as he loaded another clip into his pistol, realizing that, as much ammo as they brought with them, that it probably wasn’t enough. He cringed as he heard Komi screech in his cage, but the urgency of his voice was enough to focus Iwaizumi and steady his hand. 

“You think there’s any way we can sneak around to their cages to set them free?”

Oikawa didn’t answer him for a moment, shifting his body through the brush where their enemy didn’t have a lock on him yet. He paused and lifted his rifle up, aiming it carefully before pulling the trigger. Iwaizumi chose that moment to pop up behind the boulder and quickly aim at one of the guards by the cages.

He was able to put two down before bullets pelted the edge of his boulder and he barely managed to duck out of the way. Oikawa rolled across the ground toward him as bullets pelted the bushes where he had just been. Once he was stationary, he glared up at Iwaizumi with bits of mud smeared across his face.

“If we can manage to take a few more out, then maybe. Don’t do anything stupid, Iwa-chan.”

“I know but if we can free them, then we’ll have more help.”

“We don’t have assault rifles like they do, we’re draining our ammo, and we’ve already used our flash grenades. Focus on picking them off for now.”

“They’ve probably called for reinforcements.”

“Well, Makki said we’ve got reinforcements coming too.”

“This is maddening. Bokuto might be killed by now for all I know.”

“Exactly. You _don’t _know. Stop being an idiot and start shooting.”

Iwaizumi hated it when Oikawa was right. He grumbled under his breath as he peered around the boulder, looking for another easy target. A shot fired somewhere behind him, and a moment later pain seared the edge of his arm. 

“Fuck!” he yelled, flipping his body around and firing into the forest. Two soldiers had been sneaking up behind them, both of them ducking in opposite directions to avoid being hit by Iwaizumi. He glanced down at his arm to see the bullet had only grazed his arm, but he needed to stop the bleeding. “Keep firing, I’m okay,” he muttered to Oikawa when he stopped shooting.

“Maybe we should retreat.”

“I’m not leaving them like that.”

“We’re not leaving, just regrouping! At least move your ass over there where these guys can’t shoot you.”

Iwaizumi growled as he shuffled low to the ground, wincing every time he landed on his arm that was freshly wounded. He was starting to worry that he wouldn’t live long enough to even find out what happened to Bokuto. At least they were shuffling in the direction of Komi and Washio’s cages. Perhaps with just a little bit of luck, he’d be able to make a break for them.

Iwaizumi froze as he came face to face with a pair of black gleaming boots, standard issue for their organization. He swallowed the sudden burst of fear and gazed up to see one of his superiors standing over him with an assault rifle in his hands. 

“Fujita-san, fancy seeing you out here.”

Fujita sneered and pointed his rifle straight at Iwaizumi’s head. “Cut the shit, Iwaizumi. I told Ikeda-san that we needed to dispose of you and your team completely, but he felt you could still be rehabilitated once we’ve properly exterminated the vermin in this forest.”

Iwaizumi’s vision went red at hearing Bokuto and his kind being referred to as vermin. At the sound of multiple footsteps beside him, however, he glanced up and cringed. Oikawa had already been forced to his feet with his hands in the air, a gun pointed at the back of his head as well. Regardless, he couldn’t admit defeat until he was actually dead.

“So, what’s _your _plan now, Fujita-san, if you don’t agree with Ikeda? Dispose us right now in the forest where no one’s around to see but your men?”

Fujita grinned. “Very good, Iwaizumi. You were always very intelligent although I cannot trust a man who puts himself in league with filthy shapeshifters. Shame, you could have gone far.”

Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes as Fujita cocked his gun. The man behind Oikawa pulled him back, barking at him to hold still. It was strange how in a dire moment like that where he could be close to the end of his life, he was in a state of complete calm.

“Go ahead, Fujita-san. You have to do what you have to, right? Since you’d never be able to convince Ikeda-san otherwise.” When Fujita’s eyebrows furrowed, Iwaizumi knew he had a chance, even if it was a narrow one.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, it’s pathetic, isn’t it? You’re supposed to be second-in-command of the whole organization, but your opinion isn’t worth shit to him, is it?”

“Shut up, it’s not like that.”

“Not like what? That he keeps you only because your daddy has donated so much to his cause? Is that what you owe every bit of your achievements to? Probably your teachers were even paid off. Ha, I bet you were popular with the other kids.”

Fujita’s face was turning a deep red as he fumed, shifting restlessly in front of him. “This has _nothing_ to do with his money. I got to where I am due to my own skills, not his! I’m a fuckin genius compared to that old man and if he thinks he can—”

A giant black beast pummeled into Fujita before he could finish his tirade, knocking him down to the ground. Iwaizumi’s eyes widened as he watched what looked to be a huge panther open its gleaming jaws and latch onto Fujita’s throat. Even as he stared at the life leaving Fujita’s eyes, his attention was snatched away when he heard a muffled groan on the other side of him. Glancing in that direction, he found a man dressed completely in black, pulling a knife out of the soldier’s back that had been guarding Oikawa. 

Since he no longer had a gun to his head, Oikawa quickly knelt beside Iwaizumi, pulling out some gauze to bind Iwaizumi’s arm. “Just in time. I thought we were almost done for.”

“Yeah, me too.” Iwaizumi looked around, wincing from the Oikawa’s lack of gentle bedside manner. It was odd to see so much activity without hearing any sounds as a result. Karasuno’s squad was fast and brutal as they tore into the clearing and cut the remaining soldiers down. More cat shifters bounded over bushes and pounced onto the cages holding Komi and Washio, but they were unable to break them free. 

As soon as Oikawa was finished, Iwaizumi scrambled to his feet and ran toward them to help. He skidded to a halt when one of the cats, a sandy colored puma, struck out at him with its paw. Iwaizumi barely managed to hop out of the way of its claws, holding his hands up in front of him.

“I’m Iwaizumi, Bokuto’s boyfriend. I just want to break them out.” 

The puma stared at him through glowing amber eyes, its long tail twitching behind him. A menacing growl rumbled in its throat, sending shivers down Iwaizumi’s spine.

“Calm down, Yaku!” Komi shouted as he shifted into his human form. “He’s telling the truth. He’s a good guy.”

Yaku huffed and backed away to give Iwaizumi space to work, playfully batting at a cheetah as he passed by it. Yanking a flashlight from his pocket, Iwaizumi illuminated the cage’s lock and swore under his breath. 

“Oikawa! Get over here, I need your help.”

“What’s wrong?” Komi asked, pressing his face against the bars. “Can’t you just shoot it off?”

“No, these ones have an explosive device inside. If they’re removed any way other than inputting the correct code, it’ll go off.” He sighed and met Komi’s gaze. “If that happens, I’m not sure you’d survive it.”

Komi groaned. “Damn it, I just wanna get out of here!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out. I promise. It just might take a little longer.”

“I’m here, Iwa-chan. What do you need?” 

Iwaizumi turned around to see Oikawa joining him with one of Karasuno’s men, his mask already removed. Though the man stood much shorter than Oikawa, Iwaizumi could sense an authority about him and wondered if he was in charge of the entire gang. 

“Take a look. We need a code to get in there.”

“Damn it.” Oikawa raised his finger to his ear to activate his comm. “Makki, you copy? Where are you? Ugh, well hurry up. We’ve got two owls in cages that need a codebreaker or they’re going to get blown up. Mattsun’s probably fine, we need you here! Of course, I’m worried but at the moment, there are a million things to worry about.”

“Oikawa, wait,” the man from Karasuno said, slipping his backpack off and unzipping it.

“Hold on, Makki. What is it, Sawamura-kun?”

Instead of answering him, Sawamura continued rummaging through his bag as he glanced at Iwaizumi. “The lock explodes if it’s removed without putting in the code, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Sawamura smirked as he yanked a blowtorch out of the pack. “Would it explode if we open the cage a different way?”

Iwaizumi grinned and stepped aside. “Nope. Just work on the bars that aren’t part of the door, and we should be fine.”

Oikawa hummed appreciatively and walked a safe distance away. “Makki, we’re going to open the cages a different way. Yeah, they’ve got blowtorches. You still need to head this way, Mattsun is probably doing the same thing. Okay.” 

As Iwaizumi joined him, Oikawa sighed and looked around the clearing at the Karasuno soldiers and cat shifters stalking the area. “Makki said the squad he met up with have found more owls, a couple of females and two males. Bokuto wasn’t one of them,” he added quickly with a wince.

Iwaizumi exhaled slowly, watching Sawamura as he flipped his protective mask down and proceeded to melt through one of the bars of Komi’s cage. “What if they’ve already taken him out?”

Another one of Karasuno’s men laughed nearby as he worked on Washio’s cage with a blowtorch of his own. “Don’t worry about Bokuto, he’s probably just giving those soldiers a hard time. After all, you had trouble with him the first time you met, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but I was on my own.”

“And you were skilled enough to catch me, remember?” Komi added, pressing his body against the back of the cage. “Sugawara’s right, Bokuto will be fine. He’s probably just out there messing with a bunch of them right now.”

“I hope so.”

Despite everyone’s reassurances, Iwaizumi felt helpless just standing there, watching as Sawamura and Sugawara tried to free Komi and Washio from their prisons. He did a quick inventory of his weapons and remaining clips, wincing at the realization of how much he’d already gone through. With a quick glance around, he noticed a pistol lying in the grass and snatched it up. He slipped it into one of his holsters, along with a few unused cartridges he found in a pile that Karasuno had collected off the dead bodies. 

He avoided looking at the pile of bodies, worried he would recognize a few of his old coworkers. There was no issue taking out his superiors who created the issues in the first place, but many of the other teams had no idea that the shifters weren’t to blame for anything. If only they had exposed the company sooner, perhaps so many lives wouldn’t have been lost.

Before he could straighten up from his crouched position, a giant panther strode in front of him, its silent paws not giving him any warning. Iwaizumi fell backward in surprise, landing hard on his ass and feeling like an idiot when the panther paused to look at him. In its full animal shift, there was no way he could have separated it from the real thing if he was standing in a zoo or jungle. The only tell it had that it retained human-like sensibilities was the wide grin it was giving Iwaizumi. The effect of it was unnerving.

When the panther’s amusement of Iwaizumi waned, it huffed out a laugh and wandered over to the cages. Iwaizumi was transfixed as he watched it, its muscles rippling beneath its glossy black coat. He had no doubt the shifter could do a lot of damage in that form, especially if it happened to be intelligent.

Once it reached the cages, however, the panther stretched its jaws wide and yawned. It stopped beside Sawamura and sat on its haunches, blinking at the sparks coming from the blow torched metal. When no one paid it any attention, the panther gave an even louder yawn than before and slumped its body against Sawamura, nearly knocking him off balance.

Sawamura growled and flipped up his mask. “Kuroo, what the hell?! Do you not see a _blowtorch _in my hand?”

Kuroo, the panther, nestled his head on Sawamura’s shoulder and gazed up at him innocently. Sawamura pinched his lips together, seeming torn between shoving Kuroo off or letting him stay. “Hey, asshole!” Komi yelled, feathers sprouting over his back in his fury. “How would you like to be stuck in this cage? Stop distracting Sawamura!”

Kuroo’s lips curled up again and he slowly slid off Sawamura’s back and plopped onto the ground behind him like a puddle of melted chocolate on a hot day. Sawamura sighed and went back to work, ignoring the panther coiling its body around him. 

With nothing else to do, Iwaizumi paced around the clearing, keeping tabs on every Karasuno soldier and cat shifter in the area. He had a good sense of them all with his heightened awareness, so when he heard a rustling beyond the trees, he whirled around on his feet and had his pistol in his hand in a heartbeat. 

“Ta-da!” Hanamaki announced as he hopped over a bush and spread his arms out wide. “Isn’t this exciting? I didn’t die!”

“Not yet,” Iwaizumi chuckled as he relaxed. He holstered his pistol and ran toward his friend, yanking him into a tight embrace. “Still no word from Matsukawa?”

“No… he’s probably fine, just forgot that he was wearing a comm like always.”

_Like never_, Iwaizumi corrected in his mind. There was no need to say it out loud since Hanamaki knew it better than anyone. Matsukawa had a better memory than any of them and a healthy regard for rules. 

Iwaizumi pulled back from the hug and gave him a reassuring smile. “We’ll find him, I promise. Are these more of Karasuno’s guys? Whoa, _that _one’s scary.”

“_Yes_, I know,” Hanamaki whispered with reverent admiration. “That’s Azumane Asahi and he’s, um, intense. And yet strangely gentle.”

Iwaizumi snickered as he glanced at the large bearded soldier striding past them to join Sawamura by the cages. “I’m glad you found a pleasurable way to occupy yourself out there.”

“I wouldn’t say pleasurable, although he provided quite a lot of eye candy. He also saved my ass after I got separated from Matsukawa.”

“Makki! There you are!” Oikawa sang loudly as he bounded up and threw his arms around him.

Iwaizumi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oikawa, just because we’ve taken a lot of guys out doesn’t mean there aren’t more out there. Keep the volume down, will ya?”

“Hmph, snippy.”

“Shh, he’ll be happier once we find Bokuto.”

“Shhhh, we shouldn’t even talk about it until we do.”

“I’d be happier if you both shut up for a minute.” 

Iwaizumi rubbed his forehead, trying to soothe out the pounding headache residing there. Hanamaki and Oikawa left him in peace, huffing indignantly as they went. He couldn’t help being snippy with all the pent-up energy he had. If something didn’t happen soon, he was going to tear into the forest in search of Bokuto, whether anyone else tagged along or not. 

Glancing around the clearing, he was even more disgruntled to find everyone settling down, setting up necessary barricades and checking over minor wounds. He relaxed slightly when he glanced up, seeing several of the owl shifters circling over their heads. They appeared relatively unharmed and ready for more action. He knew that at least _they_ wouldn’t be calm until every member of their flock was accounted for and safe.

A loud _clang_ startled him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see that Sawamura had successfully removed a rung from the cage. Despite the fact that the edges were still glowing from the intense heat, Komi shifted completely into human form and crouched in front of it. Sawamura shuffled out of the way and yanked his lazy panther with him, as far as he could pull his immense weight, that is. Cautiously, Komi maneuvered his head and upper body through the bars and Sawamura and Azumane reached out to help him the rest of the way.

Once Komi was completely free and set safely on the ground, Sawamura jogged over to the other cage and helped Sugawara create an even larger whole for Washio, considering his much larger size. Since Kuroo’s human had abandoned him, he padded across the clearing with a nonchalant air as if they weren’t in the middle of a battlefield with more fighting left to come.

“Shit… Shit, shit, shit, they’re coming,” Hanamaki hissed as he stared at his sensors. 

“How many?” Oikawa asked, switching back into his serious demeanor. 

“A lot, maybe even an entire squad. And they’re spreading out to surround us.” Hanamaki’s head swiveled around until his eyes landed on Karasuno’s giant. “Hey, Azumane! Who’s your leader?”

“Daichi, why?”

“Because we’re about to be attacked from all sides. They’re coming in hot!”

“Defensive positions!” Azumane shouted, and the entire clearing burst into chaos. To Iwaizumi’s surprise, all the cats scattered and pounced into the forest, abandoning their human counterparts completely. The Karasuno soldiers didn’t seem to mind as they prepared themselves behind barricades and trees, doing a last check of their equipment. Sawamura and Sugawara didn’t budge from Washio’s cage until one of the younger soldiers rushed over to them to help. 

Sawamura quickly handed off his blow torch and shield mask to the younger member of his team. He positioned himself between them and the forest, holding his rifle up and stabilizing it into his shoulder. Komi had already flown off to join the others and Washio crouched as low as he could in the cage, his face set with a fierce intensity. Iwaizumi didn’t like how exposed they were and decided to lurk on the other side of Washio’s cage opposite Sawamura.

A hush fell across the clearing, everyone’s focus on the trees surrounding them and the darkness in between. The only sound Iwaizumi could hear was the gentle rustling of leaves and the crackle of sparks coming from the heated metal. He took a deep breath to settle his pre-fight jitters and waited with his finger poised over the trigger of his rifle. 

Somewhere to Iwaizumi’s right, he heard a shriek that was stifled abruptly. On the opposite end of the clearing, he heard a yelp and a gun firing, followed by an abrupt silence. It could have been either an owl or a cat shifter that was taking out their enemy one by one, both races were stealthy predators. Iwaizumi was relieved they were on the same side.

The silence was quickly deteriorated as the bulk of the enemy arrived, raining gunfire into the clearing. Iwaizumi resisted the temptation to shoot back with the same tenacity, knowing that he was limited on ammo. Instead, he took a calming breath and focused on the shadows lurking in the forest. 

There was a glint of light behind a tree further back and Iwaizumi focused toward it, aiming his rifle right above that point. After firing off a shot, he smirked as a man dropped from his cover with a cry. Immediately, Iwaizumi jerked back when a spray of bullets ricocheted off the bars next to him. Ducking a little lower, he waited for the shooter to pause just long enough for Iwaizumi to sneak in a shot of his own. 

He never got his chance when the shooter disappeared, his screams rising all the way up to the upper canopy as his rifle dropped to the ground. Movement flashed beyond the bushes in front of him and while Iwaizumi focused on it, he didn’t fire off a shot just yet. He had to be cautious when not everyone out there was an enemy.

His head swiveled around when he heard another bar being removed from the cage. Sugawara straightened up with it in his hand and pushed the mask up so he could see better. The other guy continued working since the one bar removed was still not enough to set Washio free.

Iwaizumi was about to turn back but paused when he saw Sugawara’s eyes light up. His expression was slightly manic when he suddenly hurled the bar into the trees with a triumphant laugh. A moment later, Iwaizumi heard a loud _thunk_ and Sugawara cheered as another body fell on the ground.

“Nice kill,” Sawamura muttered with a smirk as he continued shooting, his bullets grazing the side of a tree trunk. At first, Iwaizumi thought that Sawamura was just missing his target until he noticed a soldier staggering into view with blood pouring from his arm. Iwaizumi winced as Sawamura fired off one more bullet that dropped the man for good. 

Iwaizumi stiffened when he heard a twig snap straight ahead of him. He raised his rifle and peered through the scope, his finger grazing the trigger. He nearly pressed it on accident when he heard Sawamura gasp.

“Iwaizumi, wait!”

“Why?”

“It’s Kuroo, he just signaled me to hold off. I think someone’s coming through that isn’t an enemy.”

“Got it, I won’t shoot,” he assured him as he continued peering through the scope, waiting to see who would appear. He heard a groan just at the same time he spied movement in the shadows. As the bulky dark shape came closer, allowing a sliver of moonlight to illuminate him, Iwaizumi experienced a shock of both relief and disappointment at recognizing Matsukawa with someone draped over his back.

“Watch my back!” he called to Sawamura and allowed his rifle to drop to his side. He rushed forward into the brush, not stopping until he reached Matsukawa’s side and helped the man slip off his back. He winced when Akaashi raised his head, his pallor unnervingly pale.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, wrapping one of Akaashi’s arms around his shoulders while Matsukawa took the other one. 

“I’m fine, just exhausted. Matsukawa-san isn’t the lightest person I’ve carried.”

“You insisted,” Matsukawa reminded him. 

“You carried him in your state?” Iwaizumi asked, spying the bruises scattered over Akaashi’s torso between trails of dried blood.

“I promise you that it looks worse than it is. For what it’s worth, we took a lot out that way.”

“Here, let’s get you behind one of the barricades.”

Iwaizumi nodded to Sawamura as they shuffled into the clearing. He was relieved to see that no one on their side had fallen yet, but it was just the four of them and Karasuno. There was no telling if any of the cats or owl shifters had been taken out by the enemy. 

They were nearly to the barricade when gunfire erupted from a nearby cluster of trees. Matsukawa fell forward with a grunt, nearly bringing Akaashi and Iwaizumi with him. Akaashi gasped and dove down on top of Matsukawa to block him as Iwaizumi spun around, snatching the pistol out of its holster in one swift movement. He fired off a few shots, grimacing when the shooter ducked down just in time. 

Before the shooter could regroup and fire back, Iwaizumi crouched down to check on Matsukawa. Akaashi had already turned him onto his back and was cradling his head as he repeated his name anxiously. Iwaizumi licked his lips and slipped his hand down the back of Matsukawa’s vest. His relief was overwhelming when he didn’t feel any blood.

“Matsukawa-san?!” Akaashi asked again, his breaths coming harder. He sighed and relaxed when Matsukawa groaned and opened his eyes.

“I’m okay, they hit the vest. It just hurts like a bitch.”

Akaashi nodded and looked up at Iwaizumi. “Did you get him?”

“No, they ducked behind that tree.” Iwaizumi flinched when Akaashi’s eyes glowed and his wings stretched out from his back.

“Then I’ll take care of him.”

“No, you won’t,” Matsukawa said, reaching up to wrap his arms around Akaashi’s back and tugged him down. Akaashi’s eyes widened as he fell against Matsukawa’s chest and nearly smacked Iwaizumi in the face with one of his wings. “You’re more injured than I am, you need to rest.”

“He’s right, can you both get under cover?”

“I can do that much,” Akaashi stated in a way that meant there was no arguing with him. He kept low to the ground and dragged Matsukawa toward one of the nearest barriers. One of the Karasuno guys spotted them and stopped shooting long enough to help Akaashi out. 

Iwaizumi crept back toward his previous position, keeping an eye on the tree where the man who shot Matsukawa was still skulking. 

He froze, spotting the edge of the man’s shoulder come into view. Bracing his arm, he aimed his pistol for it and waited a few moments, but the man didn’t move from his spot. Iwaizumi took a deep breath and focused, ignoring the noise and disarray around him. A bead of sweat trickled down his face but he didn’t bother wiping it away. Every ounce of concentration was pouring into his aim and stability.

In that quiet moment when he was certain he could hit his target, he fired, smirking when the man screamed and disappeared from his sight. He took the opportunity to run back to the cages, relieved to see that Sugawara and his teammate almost had the hole big enough for Washio to fit through. 

And not a moment too soon, either. He could feel the fury emanating from the cage as Washio trembled inside it. If they didn’t hurry, Iwaizumi expected Washio to drive himself against the bars himself, even if it meant injuring himself. 

“Is Akaashi okay?” Sawamura shouted once Iwaizumi shuffled beside him. 

“Yeah, as far as I could tell. How are we doing?”

“Good! I have the feeling that there aren’t many of them left.”

It should have been good news, but Sawamura’s words twisted his stomach into a knot.

“Then where the hell is Bokuto? If there are so few of them left, then he should be—”

_Clang_

They glanced back at Washio’s cage as the final bar broke free. Sugawara and the other guy dropped to the ground as a blur shot out of the hole and flew up into the trees above with a deafening screech. Sawamura slumped against the cage with a heavy sigh.

“Good job, you two. Get busy picking the rest off!”

“Yes, boss.”

“That’s all the owls accounted for except Bokuto, which means,” Sawamura paused, making sure he had Iwaizumi’s attention, “that they’re going to tear this entire forest to shreds to find their leader. Not only that, but Kuroo is good friends with Bokuto as well and he’s protective over those he cares about. We’ll get him back no matter what.”

“We better, otherwise it’s _me _who will go on a bloodthirsty rampage.”

“If that happens, then we’ll gladly back you up.”

Iwaizumi nodded and aimed his pistol back at the trees surrounding them. He had to be extra cautious with all the cats and owls rushing through the forest around them. 

_I don’t want to be their enemy again_, he thought, flinching when a shadow darted through the trees and snatched a man hiding behind a clump of bushes that Iwaizumi hadn’t even noticed. There was movement straight ahead of him, but as soon as he turned toward it, he relaxed when he saw it was just Kuroo bounding toward them. Sawamura immediately dropped his rifle and knelt, his face etched with worry as the panther rushed into his embrace.

“What is it? What happened?” 

Kuroo’s head swiveled around, his breaths coming hard. Iwaizumi had a bad feeling about the lazy cat looking so worried, and it only got worse as several more of the cat shifters bounded into the clearing. Wings fluttered above him and Iwaizumi glanced up. The trees overhead were filled with the giant owls, some of them changing partially into their human form and others remaining in their owl shift. One thing they all had in common was their manic rage being held back by a sliver of self-control. 

Sawamura gripped his arm, drawing his attention back. “Iwaizumi, stay calm,” Sawamura whispered, giving his arm a squeeze. Whether or not he meant the touch to be reassuring, it filled Iwaizumi with dread. 

Clenching his teeth, he slowly turned toward the other end of the clearing. His body shuddered with unquenchable rage, his entire vision growing red at the sight of his old boss, Ikeda, standing at the edge of the clearing with a large dagger pressed against Bokuto’s throat. At least Bokuto was still alive, but he was gagged, and the leather jacket Iwaizumi had given him was torn and hanging open, revealing a bloodied and bruised torso underneath. 

Four members of Ikeda’s squad stood on either side of him, their rifles pointed out at the rest of the group surrounding them. It was eerily quiet as everyone waited, but the tension was almost suffocating. The cat shifters gazed at Ikeda with lethal intent, their bodies crouched and ready to pounce the first chance they had. The only owl not in full shift was Akaashi who remained crouched behind Matsukawa, his knuckles turning white from his fists clenching so tightly. 

Bokuto, unlike everyone else present, was the only one who seemed calm. His chest rose with steady breaths and his eyes were wide and expectant. His arms were tied behind his back and as Iwaizumi looked closer, he spotted a plank of wood strapped to his back as well to keep his wings from coming out.

“Son of a bitch,” he seethed, his trembling body craving the chance to tear Ikeda from limb to limb. The man in question met his gaze, narrowing his eyes in a dare.

“Don’t even think about it, Iwaizumi. I assure you, one false move and this beast loses its head.”

“I assure _you_, that if you do that, I won’t let you die. I’ll fuck you up so slowly you’ll be begging for it, Ikeda!”

Ikeda had the gall to look disappointed, rather than worried. “Is that any way to talk to your employer, Iwaizumi? I was once your personal mentor! The expectations I had for you were incredible, and to see you reduced to this… it’s a disgrace.”

“Ikeda-san, let’s talk this out for a moment,” Oikawa said calmly, stepping forward with his hands raised. “You’ve been beaten. There’s no chance that you’ll live if you harm that shifter, even you can see that. If you release him slowly and back away into the forest, I swear we’ll let you go.”

“Ah, Oikawa, ever the leader. You’ve disappointed me as well, especially with your lack of foresight. Do you think that _these_,” he said, gesturing to either side of him, “are the only soldiers I have left? As we speak, I have one more squad heading in this direction, and _they_ cannot be beaten. Not even by your monsters.”

Oikawa’s eyes flickered to Iwaizumi’s, neither of their faces giving away the sudden terror they felt inside. The worry Oikawa relayed to Iwaizumi in the truck was becoming reality. Iwaizumi knew they needed to act fast because unfortunately, Ikeda was right. He wasn’t certain they would be able to defeat the full strength of Shiratorizawa without severe casualties.

“So, now that you’re aware that _I_ am in control of the situation, it’s time for you to listen to me. Oikawa, if you and your men gather up the shifters with restraints and put them into cages, I will not turn you in to the authorities as I planned to. Obviously you’re still fired. I can’t have traitors within my organization, but you’ll at least get to walk free. 

As for these Karasuno fiends, we’ll take care of them. Once the public sees their bodies ripped to shreds at the base of the forest, we’ll have no choice but to declare war on every shifter race in the country. Perhaps even the world. Now, what do you say, Oikawa? Do your life and career end here? Or are you going to do as I say?”

Before Oikawa could answer, a shadow emerged from the woods behind one of Ikeda's soldiers. It closed in behind him, hands slowly rising to either side of the soldier’s head. The man between him and Ikeda was standing a couple of steps ahead of him and didn’t notice when the shadow silently snapped the soldier’s neck and caught the body before it hit the ground. 

“Y-You want me to believe that you’ll just let me and my team go, after all this?” Oikawa asked, doing what he could to keep Ikeda distracted as another shadow slipped behind the soldier on the other end. 

“I’m not an unreasonable man, Oikawa-kun. Contrary to what you believe, this isn’t personal.”

“Then what is it?” Iwaizumi asked, tearing his eyes away from the knife pressing against Bokuto’s throat. “Murdering innocent humans and pinning it on the shifters? How can that not be the result of a personal vendetta?!”

“A business does better when it has a clear mission, one that can be supported by the government and the public. In the early stages of our organization, we were highly successful, and everyone rushed to our defense, funds pouring in from all sides. As a result, we needed a clear enemy and the best soldiers to track them down. Once everyone feared the shifters, it was only too easy to fuel their paranoia.”

“If you let us go,” Oikawa started, giving Iwaizumi a sharp look before he had another outburst, “how would you keep us from spreading the truth? I expect you want us to help you now just so you can send an assassin after us later.”

“I wouldn’t waste an assassin on you. Who would believe such a far-fetched conspiracy? Now, if you’re finished with twenty-questions, Oikawa-kun, you need to make a decision, or I will make it for you.”

Ikeda’s words were hollow now that he had no back-up on either side of him, but he didn’t know that and Bokuto’s life still hung in the balance. Sweat poured down Iwaizumi’s back from the overwhelming tension in his body. One wrong move and Ikeda’s knife could cut Bokuto’s throat and Iwaizumi felt like _he _was about to die just from the apprehension alone. 

Oikawa raised his chin, his eyes as frigid as a glacier as he shook his head. “No, Ikeda-san, I would rather die than side with a worm like you. Now, as I said earlier, you should lower that knife before you die as well. Your chance of surviving this is waning.”

Ikeda barked out a harsh laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve already won! Any moment Shiratorizawa is going to show up and take you all out before you know what’s happening!”

“On the contrary, I think that’s what happened to you.” Oikawa nodded down at Ikeda’s body where several red dots were appearing, focused at every vital point. 

Ikeda stared down at them in disbelief, his mouth hanging slack. His head whirled around, searching for his back-up and finding himself completely alone.

“I don’t understand. How did—”

The shadows entered the clearing from all sides, silent as ghosts. Fragments of moonlight illuminated their tactical uniforms and all the distinctive hairstyles above their masks were unmistakable. One figure didn’t bother to wear a mask at all as he stepped beside Oikawa, his face as stoic as always.

“Ikeda-san,” Ushijima spoke in his commanding timber. “You will lower that knife carefully, or the consequences will be severe. Whatever chance you thought you had is nonexistent.”

Ikeda blinked at him, his face slowly contorting with confusion and rage. “You… _you _betrayed me?”

Ushijima cocked his head. “No. It was you who betrayed everyone else. We joined your organization to protect innocent civilians, only to find out that it was you all along who was arranging the murders. We have been working with Karasuno for quite some time to find a way to destroy the entire organization, but it seems you gave us the perfect opportunity.”

Ikeda was left sputtering, unable to formulate any coherent words. Ushijima frowned slightly before turning next to him. 

“Oikawa, I’m relieved that you were able to discover the truth on your own. I felt guilty keeping you in the dark, but I couldn’t give anything away while you were leading another team. Which was why I was so adamant that you join—”

“No, no! Don’t say it! Trust me, I… I got it. I’m, um, relieved that you’re not here to kill us.”

“Yes, it is fortunate that it ended this way.”

“Ushijima,” Iwaizumi muttered through clenched teeth.

“Yes?”

“The knife… is still… on Bokuto.”

“Oh, my apologies.” Ushijima raised his rifle and another red dot appeared on Ikeda, right in the center of his forehead. “I could pull this trigger quickly and put you out without you harming Bokuto. Ikeda-san, this is your last warning.”

Ikeda immediately pulled the knife away and held it in the air.

“Good, now cut Bokuto’s bonds. And we are watching you, so don’t do anything foolish.”

Ikeda hissed curses under his breath, but he did everything he was asked. Bokuto remained calm as he was released, sighing once his arms came free. He didn’t wait for Ikeda to remove the gag, reaching behind his head to untie it himself. His lips smacked together once it was removed and he turned around to hand it back to Ikeda.

“Here you go!” he chirped as it landed in Ikeda’s hand.

“I don’t want—”

Ikeda’s words were cut off as Bokuto’s hands grasped his head and jerked it to the side, snapping his neck. Ikeda’s body fell in a heap, but the only reaction was Konoha laughing in the branches above. Everyone else seemed to relax now that Ikeda was dead, but Iwaizumi was already rushing forward, weaving through the pack of cat shifters to reach his boyfriend at last.

Bokuto turned when he spotted him, his face splitting in a wide grin. “Hey, babe! Are you okay?”

“Am I okay? You idiot!”

Bokuto roared with laughter as Iwaizumi jumped up in his arms. The sound was muffled immediately when their lips crashed together. Several cheers and whistles rose up from the surrounding crowd, but they all went ignored as Iwaizumi kissed him ravenously. 

“What are we going to do about this mess?” Oikawa said, looking around at the dead bodies and ones still alive but knocked unconscious.

“The authorities are on their way to collect everything,” Ushijima explained. “Ennoshita has been uploading footage throughout the night and sending it to everyone he can, media outlets, the police, other activists against the harsh treatment of shifters. It was exactly what we needed to shut this down for good.”

“Great. I knew I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight.” Oikawa groaned as he rubbed his face, and Ushijima furrowed his eyebrows. 

“If you need a break, you could take a nap in the back of our truck. I could even guard it, so no one disturbs you.” 

Oikawa pulled his hands down to stare at Ushijima above his fingertips. When it was obvious that he wasn’t going to say anything, Ushijima continued.

“Again, I was very relieved that you were able to discover the truth, Oikawa. I was conflicted for years while Ikeda continued to use you and your team for their vile purposes, and given the depths of my feelings for you, I was often tempted to take you aside and tell you the truth. That would have been dangerous, however, so it was good that I was able to restrain myself. Semi and Reon kept me in check to make sure that my wild passion didn’t get the best of me…”

Oikawa’s eyes widened the more Ushijima talked, his body leaning further away. It wasn’t until Hanamaki wandered by him that Ushijima’s outpouring of monotone emotions was interrupted. 

“Congratulations,” Hanamaki snickered as he patted Oikawa’s shoulder. He scampered away quickly before Oikawa could grab him. There was a more important task on his mind than saving Oikawa from Ushijima’s ill-timed confession.

He paused, allowing a cheetah to wander across his path before continuing across the clearing. Up ahead, Matsukawa was wincing as one of the owl shifters helped him to his feet. Hanamaki slowed his pace immediately, observing the intimate atmosphere between the two. 

“You should have one of Karasuno’s medics take a look at you. I assure you, they’re well-qualified,” the shifter said as he grasped Matsukawa’s arms. Hanamaki noticed that he was remarkably pretty, his cool gaze focused on Matsukawa underneath his soft, black curls. He couldn’t help but wonder what transpired between the two in such a short amount of time for there to be so much concern emanating from their expressions.

“I’m fine. All I probably have are some bullet-shaped bruises on my back. _You, _on the other hand, should be checked out thoroughly.”

“I told you that I’m not as hurt as I look.”

“It would make me feel better though if you— ow!” Matsukawa shouted as Hanamaki’s fist connected with his side, unable to hold back any longer. 

Before attacking his friend further, Hanamaki turned to the shifter and smiled. “Sorry for the interruption. You!” he growled, turning his head back to Matsukawa. “Why... didn’t... you... answer... your... comm!” With every word, he punctuated it with another punch to Matsukawa’s body. As worried as the shifter seemed earlier, he seemed content watching Matsukawa get pummeled by his best friend, smirking with amusement.

Matsukawa, on the other hand, didn’t seem as amused. “Quit hitting me! I was flying!”

“You were _what_?!”

The shifter cleared his throat. “I picked him up and flew us around, so he could pick off soldiers from above. It worked rather well until I couldn’t hold us both up any longer.”

Hanamaki stepped back and faced the shifter again, appraising him thoroughly. He was the lean but muscular type, but it was still astounding that he would have so much strength to fly with Matsukawa in his arms.

“Are you telling me you were able to haul his fat ass around in the air?”

“My ass is smaller than yours.”

“That’s subjective.”

“No, it’s not!”

The shifter sighed and shook his head. “Yes, I was. We are stronger than we appear. My name is Akaashi Keiji by the way.”

“Hanamaki Takahiro, Matsukawa’s best friend.”

“It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise! This, by the way,” he said, turning to Matsukawa but gesturing toward Akaashi, “is a _huge_ upgrade. Well done.”

“Uh, no, we’re not—.”

“Oh, hey! Azumane-san! Do you need help with that body?” 

Hanamaki snickered as he left his friend in a flustered state with his lovely shifter friend and bounded across the clearing. He beamed as Azumane gave him a friendly smile and gestured down at the man’s feet. 

“That would be nice. Your organization brought a lot of men to clean up. Of course, there are still some that are alive”

“I’m sure the ones who were knocked unconscious will be out for a while. Any that wake up though will probably be picked off by the owl shifters.”

“That’s true. By the way, you were, uh, very impressive this evening.” 

Hanamaki perked up, nearly dropping the feet stuck under his armpits. “Yeah? I mean, it was the least I could do. Speaking of which, do you think we’ve finally done enough for the shifters?”

Azumane frowned, glancing over his shoulder at the owls and cats sweeping into the clearing to help the process in any way they could. “I hope so. I hope this will be the start of a whole new era where both shifters and humans can live in peace and understanding. It isn’t hard. We’ve been friends with them for years, us and our families. What do you think, Hanamaki, now that you’ve met them?”

Before he could answer, they finally made it to the side of the road where everyone was dividing up bodies between dead and asleep. They dropped the body on the ground, and both let out a relieved breath.

“Honestly? Just from hearing about them from Iwaizumi, I was fascinated by them and wanted to know more about them. Iwaizumi isn’t easy to impress and he’s even slower to trust. Of course, it probably helps if you’re a big muscled beefcake with a charming smile and fluffy wings.”

Azumane laughed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Yeah, it must be nice.”

“What are you talking about? You’re exactly that except you don’t have wings.”

“I’m— huh?”

Hanamaki stepped in front of him, making a show of eyeing up Azumane’s broad shoulders and thick body. “Big,” he said, holding up a finger and then another, “muscled, beefcake, charming smile. All checked off.” He chuckled as Azumane hid his face and even though there wasn’t much light, he distinctly caught a blush rising on his cheeks.

“Thanks. Most people think I’m scary.”

Hanamaki shrugged. “Intimidating at first, maybe. But not enough to scare me away. Or maybe I like that.”

Azumane coughed and rushed back into the forest. “We should get more bodies.”

“Oh, he is too cute,” Hanamaki muttered under his breath and chased after him to catch up.

“And _then_ the bastards had the nerve to toss all my blankets and pillows off the cliff and hack up my nest with machetes. Like, what the hell? Who barges into someone’s house and destroys their bed? My grandmother gave me some of those blankets and now she’s going to have to knit me some more and I don’t even have a place to put them anymore!”

Iwaizumi felt a little silly, sitting on a log with Bokuto sitting on his lap while everyone worked hard around them. No one else seemed to mind, partly because of the horror they’d both gone through and also because it was perfect fodder for making fun of Iwaizumi later. Even as Oikawa tried to shake a persistent Ushijima off his tail, he still found time to glance Iwaizumi’s way and send him a teasing grin. 

Still, Iwaizumi was too relieved having Bokuto safe in his arms again to worry about anything else. He wrapped his arms tighter around his waist and nuzzled into his neck.

“I’m so sorry, babe. About that not having a place to sleep, you’ll just stay with me until we can rebuild you a nest.”

Bokuto perked up, jostling Iwaizumi’s entire body. “Huh? Seriously? I get to see your nest?!”

Iwaizumi snorted. “It’s more of an apartment with a bed than a nest, but yes. It’s also a little small, so you might not be able to stretch your wings out.”

“That’s okay. As long as I get to sex you up, I’ll be happy.”

“Good because I already have that scheduled for when we get back.”

“You horny bastard,” Bokuto chuckled and guided Iwaizumi’s face up to kiss him. “You were seriously so sexy, yelling at that guy like you were about to explode. If you had superpowers, I bet you would have ripped him to shreds just using your mind.”

“Trust me, I was trying. I thought it was sexy how you snapped his neck like it was nothing.”

“Ew, you two are gross.”

Iwaizumi looked up to see a strange looking man hovering over them. He was tall and lean, wearing only a pair of bright red sweatpants. Iwaizumi wasn’t sure what was more obscene, the man’s sinister grin or the crazy bed head he had going on. Regardless, Bokuto brightened up when he saw him.

“Shut up, like you and Sawamura are any better.”

“We’re charming and not disgusting in any way.”

“Kuroo! Get your ass over here and help,” Sawamura shouted across the clearing.

“Coming my darling!”

“Oh, that’s Kuroo in his human form,” Iwaizumi mused as he watched Kuroo slink away, not in any hurry. “How does he still look like a lazy cat?”

“I don’t know. Hey, Iwaizumi, do you think I’m still sexy in my owl form?”

Iwaizumi sighed and stared into his boyfriend’s radiant gold eyes. “I think… you look like a very big owl when you’re in that form.”

“But is it sexy?”

“Bokuto, I love you, but I am going to need a lot of alcohol to even consider a question like that. Can it wait until I take you home?”

Bokuto beamed, his entire expression so bright Iwaizumi thought for a moment that it was midday instead of the painful hours of the morning. “I’m excited to go home with you. How long is it okay for me to stay?”

“Well, I’d say as long as it takes for your nest to be rebuilt. But to be honest, I wouldn’t mind if you never leave.”

Bokuto blinked in surprise. Slowly, a bashful smile spread across his lips and he glanced around the clearing. Iwaizumi followed his gaze, but most people seemed preoccupied with something else. Suddenly, Iwaizumi’s view was obstructed as Bokuto’s wings surrounded them, shielding them from impertinent eyes. 

“Then, I’ll be in your care,” Bokuto murmured, nuzzling against Iwaizumi’s face until their lips were almost touching. “There’s no getting rid of me now, Iwaizumi.”

Before Iwaizumi could answer, Bokuto snatched his lips with his own, kissing him like his life depended on it. Iwaizumi was exhausted from the long night of fighting and even more so knowing that they still had a lot of work ahead as they waited for law enforcement to arrive. But he used every last bit of his energy to kiss Bokuto back, wishing they were already back in his apartment. He couldn’t wait to start the next segment of his life, living with Bokuto and not living a double life as he worked for a corrupt company. They were both finally going to experience freedom and they were going to share it together. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you're a subscriber, sorry for the double posting tonight, lol. It just sort of happened like that. I've been fighting with this fic forever, developing it, changing stuff, but it's a huge relief to finally have it finished. Honestly, I meant this to be the last fic for the series, making it a trilogy, but I think we all know that's not going to happen, pfft. I'm already thinking of a sequel for Matsukawa x Akaashi and potentially one for Kurodai... we'll see.


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